Dictionary Home » Dictionary Definitions » bishop

bishop

Listen See in Thesaurus See in a sentence

The definition of a bishop is a senior member of the Christian clergy that is often in charge of a diocese and able to oversee priests, or a chess piece.

(noun)

The Christian religious leader who oversees the priests in your parish is an example of a bishop.
A piece in chess that you have two of when you start the game and that moves along the diagonal is an example of a bishop.

See bishop in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

1. a high-ranking member of the Christian clergy having authority, variously, over other clergy and usually supervising a diocese or church district
2. Mormon Ch. a lay church officer who presides over a ward
a chess piece that can move in a diagonal direction only, over any number of unoccupied squares of the same color
a hot, sweet drink of port wine flavored with an orange stuck with cloves

Origin: ME < OE bisceop < LL episcopus, an overseer (in LL(Ec), bishop) < Gr episkopos, overseer (in N.T., bishop) < epi-, upon + skopos < skopein, to look (see scope)

Bishop, Elizabeth 1911-79; U.S. poet

See bishop in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A high-ranking Christian cleric, in modern churches usually in charge of a diocese and in some churches regarded as having received the highest ordination in unbroken succession from the apostles.
Abbr. B Games A usually miter-shaped chess piece that can move diagonally across any number of unoccupied spaces.
Mulled port spiced with oranges, sugar, and cloves.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old English bisceope

Origin: , from Vulgar Latin *ebiscopus

Origin: , from Late Latin episcopus

Origin: , from Late Greek episkopos

Origin: , from Greek, overseer

Origin: : epi-, epi-

Origin: + skopos, watcher; see spek- in Indo-European roots

American poet noted for her spare, largely descriptive works, such as “Filling Station” (1965).

Learn more about bishop

bishop synonyms