bishop
BIH-shuhp
Bishop (noun) means a senior clergy member who oversees churches and priests within a district (a diocese). Example: “The bishop visited the parish to confirm a new group of teenagers.”
noun
1
A senior clergy member who oversees churches and priests within a district (a diocese).
"The bishop visited the parish to confirm a new group of teenagers."
"The bishop gave a short speech at the opening of the new church hall."
"Each bishop is responsible for the priests and parishes in his region."
2
A chess piece that moves diagonally.
"She sacrificed her bishop to open up an attack on the king."
"You can only move a bishop along the diagonal squares of its own colour."
"He lost the game when his opponent's bishop trapped his queen."
How to use bishop
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a high-ranking church official, or the diagonal-moving piece in chess.
Common pairings
appoint a bishop
the bishop of (place)
trade bishops (chess)
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Word forms
- Plural
- bishops
- Third person singular
- bishops
- Past tense
- bishoped, bishopped
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ visited the parish to confirm a new group of teenagers.
Etymology
From Old English bisceop, from Latin episcopus ("overseer"), from Greek episkopos ("one who watches over"), from epi- ("over") + skopos ("watcher"). The same Greek root gives us words like "scope" and "telescope".
Synonyms
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Rhymes for bishop
See all rhymes for bishop →Frequently asked questions
What does “bishop” mean?
The word “bishop” means a senior clergy member who oversees churches and priests within a district (a diocese). In plain terms, either a high-ranking church official, or the diagonal-moving piece in chess.
How do you pronounce “bishop”?
“Bishop” is pronounced BIH-shuhp (/ˈbɪʃəp/ in IPA).
How do you use “bishop” in a sentence?
Here is “bishop” used in a sentence: “The bishop visited the parish to confirm a new group of teenagers.”
What is another word for “bishop”?
Words with a similar meaning to “bishop” include diocesan bishop, suffragan bishop, ordinary, hierarch and consecrator.
What part of speech is “bishop”?
“Bishop” is a noun.
Where does the word “bishop” come from?
The word “bishop” comes from Latin. From Old English bisceop, from Latin episcopus ("overseer"), from Greek episkopos ("one who watches over"), from epi- ("over") + skopos ("watcher"). The same Greek root gives us words like "scope" and "telescope".
Is “bishop” a common word?
“Bishop” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “bishop” have?
“Bishop” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a senior clergy member who oversees churches and priests within a district (a diocese).
What is the difference between a bishop and an archbishop?
A bishop is a senior clergy member who oversees the churches and priests within a district called a diocese. An archbishop holds a higher rank, overseeing an archdiocese and often taking a leading role among the bishops of a wider region. Every archbishop is a bishop, but not every bishop is an archbishop.
What is the difference between a bishop and a priest?
A priest typically serves a single parish or congregation, while a bishop oversees the churches and priests across an entire diocese. In traditions that have bishops, priests are ordained by a bishop and answer to one.
How does the bishop move in chess?
In chess, the bishop moves any number of squares diagonally, so it always stays on squares of the colour it started on. Each player begins with two bishops, one on the light squares and one on the dark squares. The bishop cannot jump over other pieces.
Should bishop be capitalized?
Capitalize bishop when it is used as a title directly before a name, as in "Bishop Smith." Use lowercase when the word is used generically: "the diocese elected a new bishop." The same rule applies to most clerical and professional titles.
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