Bishop - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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SKIP TO CONTENT bishop /ˈbɪʃəp/ /ˈbɪʃəp/ IPA guide

Other forms: bishops

A bishop is a religious authority figure in some Christian churches. In many churches, a bishop ordains, or appoints, ministers and priests.

In Christian traditions ranging from Roman Catholic to Lutheran, bishops play an important role in church oversight. In many orthodox and Catholic churches, bishops are believed to be the successors to the original twelve apostles from the Bible's New Testament. The chess piece called the bishop comes from this religious figure, and the word itself comes from the Greek episkopos, "watcher or overseer."

Definitions of bishop

noun a senior member of the Christian clergy having spiritual and administrative authority; appointed in Christian churches to oversee priests or ministers; considered in some churches to be successors of the twelve Apostles of Christ see moresee less examples: show 7 examples... hide 7 examples... Saint Ambrose (Roman Catholic Church) Roman priest who became bishop of Milan; the first Church Father born and raised in the Christian faith; composer of hymns; imposed orthodoxy on the early Christian church and built up its secular power; a saint and Doctor of the Church (340?-397) Bishop Berkeley Irish philosopher and Anglican bishop who opposed the materialism of Thomas Hobbes (1685-1753) Eusebius of Caesarea Christian bishop of Caesarea in Palestine; a church historian and a leading early Christian exegete (circa 270-340) Saint Ignatius bishop of Antioch who was martyred under the Roman Emperor Trajan (died 110) St. Martin French bishop who is a patron saint of France (died in 397) Saint Nicholas a bishop in Asia Minor who is associated with Santa Claus (4th century) Bishop Ulfilas a Christian believed to be of Cappadocian descent who became bishop of the Visigoths in 341 and translated the Bible from Greek into Gothic; traditionally held to have invented the Gothic alphabet (311-382) types: show 11 types... hide 11 types... archbishop a bishop of highest rank cardinal (Roman Catholic Church) one of a group of more than 100 prominent bishops in the Sacred College who advise the Pope and elect new Popes diocesan a bishop having jurisdiction over a diocese eparch a bishop or metropolitan in charge of an eparchy in the Eastern Church exarch a bishop in eastern Christendom who holds a place below a patriarch but above a metropolitan exarch a bishop in one of several Eastern Orthodox Churches in North America primus the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church of Scotland suffragan, suffragan bishop an assistant or subordinate bishop of a diocese vicar apostolic a titular Roman Catholic bishop in a non-Catholic area dean (Roman Catholic Church) the head of the College of Cardinals metropolitan in the Eastern Orthodox Church this title is given to a position between bishop and patriarch; equivalent to archbishop in western Christianity type of: priest a clergyman in Christian churches who has the authority to perform or administer various religious rites; one of the Holy Orders
noun (chess) a piece that can be moved diagonally over unoccupied squares of the same color see moresee less type of: chess piece, chessman any of 16 white and 16 black pieces used in playing the game of chess
noun port wine mulled with oranges and cloves see moresee less type of: mulled wine wine heated with sugar and spices and often citrus fruit

Pronunciation US /ˈbɪʃəp/ UK /ˈbɪʃəp/ Cite this entry Style: MLA

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