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This '''Masonic glossary''' explains public historical and organisational terms used on this wiki. Usage differs between countries and governing bodies; the examples below identify a jurisdiction where that affects the meaning.

==Lodges and administration==
{| class="wikitable"
! Term !! Meaning
|-
| Lodge || A local body of Freemasons. The same word can also refer informally to its meeting or meeting place. UGLE’s glossary describes the lodge as its basic unit.<ref name="glossary">[https://www.ugle.org.uk/glossary United Grand Lodge of England, public glossary; English administrative usage].</ref>
|-
| Grand Lodge || A governing body responsible for constituent lodges. It is not a worldwide government of Freemasonry; relations between Grand Lodges are established separately.<ref name="ugle">[https://www.ugle.org.uk/about-us/foreign-grand-lodges United Grand Lodge of England, “Foreign Grand Lodges”, explanation of recognition and visiting].</ref>
|-
| Grand Orient || A title used by some Masonic governing organisations, such as the Grand Orient de France. Its precise constitution and responsibilities depend on the organisation.<ref name="godf">[https://godf.org/rejoindre-le-godf/ Grand Orient de France, “Rejoindre le GODF”, section describing its rites].</ref>
|-
| Obedience || In continental Masonic usage, an organisation to which lodges belong. One obedience may accommodate several rites, as the Grand Orient de France does.<ref name="godf" />
|-
| Warrant or charter || A document authorising a lodge or other body to operate. In English Craft Masonry the normal requirement is a warrant of constitution; rule 101 specifies exceptions.<ref name="warrant">[https://www.ugle.org.uk/sites/default/files/media/file/boc-craft-rules-march26.pdf United Grand Lodge of England, Book of Constitutions, Craft Rules, March 2026, rule 101].</ref>
|-
| Constitution || The rules governing a Masonic body. Historical constitutions may also include accounts of its origins; see [[The 1723 Constitutions]].<ref name="warrant" />
|-
| Province or district || An intermediate administrative area in some organisations. UGLE uses Provinces for areas in England and Wales and Districts for many of its overseas lodges.<ref name="glossary" />
|}

==Rites, degrees and membership==
{| class="wikitable"
! Term !! Meaning
|-
| Craft || The branch of Freemasonry organised around the degrees of Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason.<ref name="faq">[https://www.ugle.org.uk/discover-freemasonry/frequently-asked-questions United Grand Lodge of England, “Frequently Asked Questions”, public explanation of Craft Freemasonry].</ref>
|-
| Degree || A stage within a Masonic system. A degree number identifies its place in that system, rather than authority over every other Mason.<ref name="faq" />
|-
| Rite || An organised system of Masonic degrees and traditions. A rite and the obedience administering it are different things: several organisations may use one rite, and one organisation may use several.<ref name="godf" />
|-
| Additional or high degrees || Degrees associated with systems beyond the three Craft degrees. Their governing bodies and requirements vary; see [[The Appendant Degrees]]. Yarker’s account provides one historical example.<ref name="yarker">[https://freemasonry.bcy.ca/kneph/aprm.html John Yarker, “Antient & Primitive Rite of Masonry”, The Kneph, vol. VIII, no. 1, September 1888; historical statement reproduced by the Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon].</ref>
|-
| Conferred by communication || In histories of higher degrees, a degree granted without a separate full ceremonial presentation. Yarker described some Memphis degrees as conferred by name. The precise arrangement depends on the body concerned.<ref name="yarker" />
|-
| Chapter || A body in certain additional-degree systems. In English Royal Arch Masonry, Chapters come under the Supreme Grand Chapter. Other rites also use the word for different bodies.<ref name="glossary" /><ref name="yarker" />
|-
| Master of a lodge || The officer who presides over a lodge. This is an office, distinct from holding the degree of Master Mason.<ref name="warrant" /><ref name="faq" />
|}

==Relations between organisations==
{| class="wikitable"
! Term !! Meaning
|-
| Regularity || Conformity with the principles a Masonic authority considers necessary. The authority and its criteria should be specified; see [[Masonic regularity and recognition]].<ref name="ugle" />
|-
| Recognition || A formal relationship accepted by Masonic governing bodies. Recognition by one body does not amount to universal recognition.<ref name="ugle" />
|-
| Visitation || Attendance as a visitor at another lodge. Governing-body rules and recognition relationships affect eligibility to visit.<ref name="ugle" />
|}

==Terms in the Egyptian rites==
{| class="wikitable"
! Term !! Meaning
|-
| Sovereign Sanctuary || A governing body in some Memphis and Memphis-Misraïm systems. Yarker’s 1888 account uses the term for the British and Irish authority.<ref name="yarker" />
|-
| Grand Hierophant || A leadership title in some Egyptian-rite bodies. The title’s authority depends on the bodies accepting the appointment; the disputed reception of Garibaldi’s appointment illustrates this.<ref name="bricaud">[https://www.linitiation.eu/memphis-misraim/historique-de-memphis-misraim Jean Bricaud, historical notes on Memphis-Misraïm (1933), updated by Constant Chevillon (1938), reproduced by L’Initiation as “Historique de Memphis-Misraïm”; an account written by leaders of the rite].</ref>
|-
| Succession or lineage || A claimed sequence of office-holders or transmissions of authority. Establishing the sequence requires examining the relevant appointments and charters; competing branches may give different accounts. See [[Memphis-Misraim organisations and recognition]].
|}

==See also==
* [[Summary of the different rites]]
* [[The Officers in a Craft Lodge]]
* [[Degrees and organisation of Memphis-Misraim]]

==References==
<references />

{{Memphis-Misraim navigation}}

[[Category:Craft Freemasonry]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:32, 25 September 2026
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−	~~This '''~~Masonic ~~glossary''' explains public historical~~ and ~~organisational terms used on this wiki~~. Usage differs between countries and governing bodies; the examples ~~below~~ identify a jurisdiction where that affects the meaning.	+	The terms below describe public aspects of Masonic history and organisation. Usage differs between countries and governing bodies; the examples identify a jurisdiction where that affects the meaning.

	==Lodges and administration==		==Lodges and administration==

Masonic glossary - Revision history

User: Tighten prose and remove general commentary

User: Add public glossary of Masonic organisation, degrees and recognition