itinerancy

[ ahy-tin-er-uhn-see, ih-tin- ]

noun

1. the act of traveling from place to place.
2. a going around from place to place in the discharge of duty or the conducting of business.
3. a body of itinerants, as ministers, judges, or sales representatives.
4. the state of being itinerant.
5. the system of rotation governing the ministry of the Methodist Church.

itinerancy

/ ɪˈtɪnərənsɪ; aɪ- /

noun

1. the act of itinerating
2. Methodist Church the system of appointing a minister to a circuit of churches or chapels
3. itinerants collectively

Word History and Origins

Origin of itinerancy¹

First recorded in 1780–90; itiner(ant) + -ancy

Example Sentences

After a brief season of itinerancy through Massachusetts pulpits, he is settled at West Roxbury.

From Project Gutenberg

He said when the Methodists abolished itinerancy and mission work, he thought the most useful part of the church was gone.

From Project Gutenberg

It has been a pleasure to the writer to make this record, as also that of other veterans of the Itinerancy.

From Project Gutenberg

Students came and went, and the teachers were a part of a great itinerancy.

From Project Gutenberg

An itinerancy implies central and local management, and travelling lecturers who connect the two.

From Project Gutenberg