autocephalous
[ aw-tuh-sef-uh-luhs ]
/ ˌɔ təˈsɛf ə ləs /
adjective Eastern Church.
(of a church) having its own head or chief bishop, though in communion with other Orthodox churches.
(of a bishop) subordinate to no superior authority; self-governing.
QUIZZES
DON’T VACILLATE! VANQUISH THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!
It’d be a real faux pas to miss this quiz on the words from August 3–9, 2020!
Question 1 of 7
What does “vacillate” mean?
Origin of autocephalous
First recorded in 1860–65, autocephalous is from the Late Greek word autoképhalos having its own head. See auto-1, -cephalous
Words nearby autocephalous
autobiography, autobus, autocade, autocatalysis, autocatharsis, autocephalous, autocephaly, autochanger, autochrome, autochthon, autochthonous
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for autocephalous
The Cretan Church is not, strictly speaking, autocephalous, being dependent on the patriarchate of Constantinople.
The Church of Cyprus has been autocephalous since at any rate the oecumenical synod of Ephesus in 431.
British Dictionary definitions for autocephalous
autocephalous
/ (ˌɔːtəʊˈsɛfələs) /
adjective
(of an Eastern Christian Church) governed by its own national synods and appointing its own patriarchs or prelates
(of a bishop) independent of any higher governing body
Derived forms of autocephalous
autocephalic (ˌɔːtəʊsɪˈfælɪk), adjectiveautocephaly, nounCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012