diocese
Americannoun
-
dioceses
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of diocese
1300–50; Middle English diocise, diocese < Anglo-French < Late Latin diocēsis, variant of Late Latin, Latin dioecēsis, < Greek dioíkēsis housekeeping, administration, province, diocese, equivalent to dioikē-, variant stem of dioikeîn to keep house, administer, govern ( di- di- 3 + oikeîn to dwell, occupy, manage, derivative of oîkos house) + -sis -sis
Explanation
The group of churches that a bishop supervises is known as a diocese. Typically, a diocese is divided into parishes that are each overseen by a priest. The original dioceses, in ancient Rome, were political rather than religious. Rome was divided into dioceses, each of which was made up of many provinces. After Christianity became the Roman Empire's official religion in the 4th century, the term gradually came to refer to religious districts. The Catholic Church has almost 3,000 dioceses. The Greek root of diocese is dioikesis, "government, administration, or province."
Vocabulary lists containing diocese
World Religions
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Human Geography - High School
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My Sister's Keeper
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The diocese said it continued to offer heartfelt apologies to those affected by accounts of malpractice at the home, and was committed to full transparency.
From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026
While some more skeptically minded clergy do not enjoy discussing demonic possession, each diocese is supposed to have a designated exorcist.
From Slate ● Jun. 8, 2026
Born in El Salvador, Menjivar-Ayala migrated to the United States in 1990, according to a biography on the Washington diocese website.
From Barron's ● May 1, 2026
The two men share a concern for ecology and a passion for sport, according to the diocese of Monaco.
From Barron's ● Mar. 25, 2026
She sincerely hoped that the first tuition payment of fourteen dollars might be refunded to the diocese.
From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger
Two Church of England dioceses have been given official warnings by the Charity Commission over "mismanagement" of safeguarding complaints against the former Bishop of Liverpool.
From BBC ● Jan. 16, 2026
Altar wine, popularly known as divai in Swahili language, is consumed differently across dioceses, depending on the liturgical season and the level of church activity.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2025
More than two dozen Catholic dioceses, including those in San Diego, Oakland and San Francisco, have filed for bankruptcy in recent years.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2024
The settlements have been financially crushing for Catholic dioceses across the country.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2024
It is true that this cuts both ways, and that in dioceses where few or no registers and reports remain the fair fame of the nuns remains unblemished, whatever their lives may have been.
From Medieval English Nunneries c. 1275 to 1535 by Eileen Power
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.
