a person who supervises a number of local churches or a diocese, being in the Greek, Roman Catholic, Anglican, and other churches a member of the highest order of the ministry.
a spiritual supervisor, overseer, or the like.
Chess. one of two pieces of the same color that may be moved any unobstructed distance diagonally, one on white squares and the other on black.
a hot drink made of port wine, oranges, cloves, etc.
Also called bishop bird. any of several colorful African weaverbirds of the genus Euplectes, often kept as pets.
Elizabeth, 1911–79, U.S. poet.
Hazel Gladys, 1906–1998, U.S. chemist and businesswoman.
John Peale, 1892–1944, U.S. poet and essayist.
Morris (Gilbert), 1893–1973, U.S. humorist, poet, and biographer.
William Avery Billy, 1894–1956, Canadian aviator: helped to establish Canadian air force.
(in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Greek Orthodox Churches) a clergyman having spiritual and administrative powers over a diocese or province of the Church See also suffragan
(in some Protestant Churches) a spiritual overseer of a local church or a number of churches
a chesspiece, capable of moving diagonally over any number of unoccupied squares of the same colour
mulled wine, usually port, spiced with oranges, cloves, etc
before 900; Middle English; Old English bisc ( e ) op < Vulgar Latin *ebiscopus, for Late Latin episcopus < Greek epískopos overseer, equivalent to epi- epi- + skopós watcher; see scope
A bishop is a religious authority figure in some Christian churches. In many churches, a bishop ordains, or appoints, ministers and priests. In Christian traditions ranging from Roman Catholic to Lutheran, bishops play an important role in church oversight. In many orthodox and Catholic churches, bishops are believed to be the successors to the original twelve apostles from the Bible's New Testament. The chess piece called the bishop comes from this religious figure, and the word itself comes from the Greek episkopos, "watcher or overseer."
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“When Mexico plays, many fans pray to the Virgin of Guadalupe to help them push the ball,” said Francisco Acero, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Mexico, who blessed the renovated stadium this year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026
Now as a bishop, with a Church commitment to tangibly repent for its past sins, she felt the institution was starting to better represent the Church her mother and many others had stayed loyal to.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
Menjivar-Ayala, who is fluent in English, Spanish and Italian, was ordained as a priest in 2004 and became a bishop in 2023.
From Barron's ● May 1, 2026
The Pope will go to the region where St Augustine was a bishop - formerly known as Hippo, now called Annaba - where he will celebrate Mass.
From BBC ● Apr. 12, 2026
St Emilion is now secure under his patronage, and the convent prospers as a result of my commerce with the local merchants and farmers, so Mother Ermentrude and the bishop are pleased.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
Online users can log onto the webpage and browse through dozens of family portraits or a few oral interviews on the site, including that of the Gamboa family, which lived in the Bishop neighborhood.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
He is still officially Britain's Strongest Man after winning the title for a fourth time in February, beating Adam Bishop and Paddy Haynes.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Bishop said he doesn’t necessarily discourage clients from holding company stock, but advises them to think about it hard.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
It was probably commissioned by Bishop Odo of Bayeux -- William the Conqueror's half-brother -- in 1077 to decorate the new cathedral in his hometown, Bayeux, according to the tapestry's home museum.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026
I was at the recruiting office in the Bishop Building on 125th Street at nine o’clock on the morning of my birthday.
From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers
Leo recently warned the group against moving forward with its plans to consecrate the bishops in open defiance of his authority.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
On Thursday, the Vatican’s doctrinal office said the measures were a response to the group’s consecration of four bishops earlier this week without the consent of Pope Leo XIV.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
Thousands of people have gathered in a tiny village in Switzerland to witness the ordination of four new Catholic bishops, in defiance of an appeal by Pope Leo XIV.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
As in 1988, the society's future bishops will be consecrated without assigned jurisdiction from Rome, in a situation the group claims precludes any schism or excommunication -- though the Vatican views the matter differently.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
William thought about the texts that he and I had read together—the great Rashi, who had shown our bishops the errors in our translations of the Hebrew Bible.
From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz
All over the country the farmers and horse-dealers knew that neither Jasper nor Panuel ever bishoped a gry, or indulged in any other horse-dealing tricks.
From Aylwin by Watts-Dunton, Theodore
He would be bishoped here, and bishoped there, before the eyes of all palatial men and women, till life would be a burden to him.
From The Last Chronicle of Barset by Trollope, Anthony
In that county burnt milk is still said to be "bishoped."
From In a Green Shade A Country Commentary by Hewlett, Maurice Henry
A term used among horse-dealers, for burning the mark into a horse's tooth, after he has lost it by age; by bishoping, a horse is made to appear younger than he is.
From 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue by Grose, Francis
The archdeacon knew his subject, and really understood the business of bishoping, which the others did not.
From The World's Greatest Books — Volume 08 — Fiction by Mee, Arthur
The archdeacon knew his subject and really understood the business of bishoping, which the others did not, and this was his strong ground.
From Barchester Towers by Trollope, Anthony
Have not our Conformists in Scotland hitherto commonly omitted bishoping of children, and the ministration of the sacraments in private places?
From The Works of Mr. George Gillespie (Vol. 1 of 2) by Gillespie, George
The archdeacon knew his subject, and really understood the business of bishoping, which the others did not; and this was his strong ground.
From Barchester Towers by Trollope, Anthony
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
