/san hed"rin, -hee"drin, sahn-, san"i drin/ , n. Jewish Hist.
1. Also called Great Sanhedrin . the highest council of the ancient Jews, consisting of 71 members, and exercising authority from about the 2nd century B.C.
2. Also called Lesser Sanhedrin . a lower tribunal of this period, consisting of 23 members.
Also, Sanhedrim /san"hi drim, san"i-/ .
[ 1580-90; Sanhedhrin synédrion, equiv. to syn- SYN- + hédr ( a ) seat (cf. CATHEDRAL) + -ion n. suffix ]