From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Magisterial \Mag`is*te"ri*al\, a. [L. magisterius magisterial.
See {Master}.]
1. Of or pertaining to a master or magistrate, or one in
authority; having the manner of a magister; official;
commanding; authoritative. Hence: Overbearing;
dictatorial; dogmatic.
[1913 Webster]
When magisterial duties from his home
Her father called. --Glover.
[1913 Webster]
We are not magisterial in opinions, nor,
dictator-like, obtrude our notions on any man. --Sir
T. Browne.
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Pretenses go a great way with men that take fair
words and magisterial looks for current payment.
--L'Estrange.
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2. (Alchem. & Old Chem.) Pertaining to, produced by, or of
the nature of, magistery. See {Magistery}, 2.
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Syn: Authoritative; stately; august; pompous; dignified;
lofty; commanding; imperious; lordly; proud; haughty;
domineering; despotic; dogmatical; arrogant.
Usage: {Magisterial}, {Dogmatical}, {Arrogant}. One who is
magisterial assumes the air of a master toward his
pupils; one who is dogmatical lays down his positions
in a tone of authority or dictation; one who is
arrogant insults others by an undue assumption of
superiority. Those who have long been teachers
sometimes acquire, unconsciously, a manner which
borders too much on the magisterial, and may be
unjustly construed as dogmatical, or even arrogant.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
magisterial
adj 1: of or relating to a magistrate; "official magisterial
functions"
2: offensively self-assured or given to exercising usually
unwarranted power; "an autocratic person"; "autocratic
behavior"; "a bossy way of ordering others around"; "a rather
aggressive and dominating character"; "managed the employees
in an aloof magisterial way"; "a swaggering peremptory
manner" [syn: {autocratic}, {bossy}, {dominating}, {high-and-
mighty}, {magisterial}, {peremptory}]
3: used of a person's appearance or behavior; befitting an
eminent person; "his distinguished bearing"; "the monarch's
imposing presence"; "she reigned in magisterial beauty" [syn:
{distinguished}, {grand}, {imposing}, {magisterial}]
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