autocephalous

[ aw-tuh-sef-uh-luhs ]

adjectiveEastern Church.
  1. (of a church) having its own head or chief bishop, though in communion with other Orthodox churches.

  2. (of a bishop) subordinate to no superior authority; self-governing.

Origin of autocephalous

1
First recorded in 1860–65, autocephalous is from the Late Greek word autoképhalos having its own head. See auto-1, -cephalous

Words Nearby autocephalous

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How to use autocephalous in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for autocephalous

autocephalous

/ (ˌɔːtəʊˈsɛfələs) /


adjective
  1. (of an Eastern Christian Church) governed by its own national synods and appointing its own patriarchs or prelates

  2. (of a bishop) independent of any higher governing body

Derived forms of autocephalous

  • autocephalic (ˌɔːtəʊsɪˈfælɪk), adjective
  • autocephaly, noun

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