archbishop

• (abbreviations): abp., Abp.

From Middle English erchebischop, archebischop, from Old English arċebisċop (“archbishop”), from Late Latin or Ecclesiastical Latin archiepiscopus, from Ancient Greek ἀρχιεπίσκοπος (arkhiepískopos), from ἀρχι- (arkhi-, “first, chief”) +‎ ἐπίσκοπος (epískopos, “overseer”), from ἐπισκοπέω (episkopéō, “I watch over”), from ἐπί (epí, “over”) +‎ σκοπέω (skopéō, “I examine”), equivalent to arch- +‎ bishop.

• (US, UK) IPA^(key): /ˌɑː(ɹ)t͡ʃˈbɪʃəp/, (less often) /ˈɑː(ɹ)t͡ʃˌbɪʃəp/

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archbishop (plural archbishops, feminine archbishopess)

1. A senior bishop who is in charge of an archdiocese, and presides over a group of dioceses called a province (in Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Anglicanism, etc.)

• archbishopdom
• archbishopric
• archbishopship
• archepiscopal
• bishop
• bishopric
• episcopal

• archdiocese
• diocese
• Excellency
• Grace
• prelate
• primate