| Part of Speech | Definition | |
| Noun | 1. The collective body of bishops.[Wordnet]
2. Government of the church by bishops; church government by three distinct orders of ministers -- bishops, priests, and deacons -- of whom the bishops have an authority superior and of a different kind.[Websters]. | |
Sources: WordNet 3.0 Copyright © 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) | Top | |
Date "EPISCOPACY" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1641. (references) |
| Note: Episcopacy \E*pis"co*pa*cy\, noun. [See Episcopate.]. (references) |
Specialty Definition: EPISCOPACY
| Domain | Definition | ||
| Noah Webster | [Noun] Government of the church by bishops; that form of ecclesiastical government, in which diocesan bishops are established, as distinct from and superior to priests or presbyters.. Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary. | ||
| Law | EPISCOPACY, eccl. law. A form of government by diocesan bishops; the office or condition of a bishop. (references) | ||
| Wiktionary | 1: [Noun] bishops collectively; episcopate. (references) | 2: [Noun] Government of the church by bishops. (references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | Top | ||
