episcopal

[ih-pis-kuh-puh l]

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adjective

of or relating to a bishop: episcopal authority.

based on or recognizing a governing order of bishops: an episcopal hierarchy.

(initial capital letter) designating the Anglican Church or some branch of it, as the Episcopal Church in America.

noun

(initial capital letter) Informal. an Episcopalian.

Origin of episcopal

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English word from Late Latin word episcopālis. See bishop, -al¹

Related formse·pis·co·pal·ly, adverbnon·e·pis·co·pal, adjectivenon·e·pis·co·pal·ly, adverbpseu·do·e·pis·co·pal, adjectivequa·si-e·pis·co·pal, adjectivequa·si-e·pis·co·pal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for episcopal

pastoral, ministerial, monastic, ecclesiastical, rabbinical, clerical, sectarian, canonical, ecclesiastic, holy, papal, pontifical, sacerdotal, sacred, churchly, cleric, apostolic, monkish, parsonical, priestly

Examples from the Web for episcopal

Contemporary Examples of episcopal

I am a Bishop of The Episcopal Church, having served as the Bishop of New Hampshire for a decade, before retiring in January 2013.
The Faith-Based Big Tent
Gene Robinson
March 9, 2014
Debra, a New York-based lawyer who grew up in the Episcopal Church, said the practice has never bothered her.
Can You Catch a Cold at Communion?
Keli Goff
December 13, 2013
A Polish Jew in an Episcopal graveyard in a largely Dominican neighborhood—what could be more New York or even more Ed Koch?
Ed Koch Goes Out in Style
Lloyd Grove
February 4, 2013
Comes word that the National Cathedral, an Episcopal Church, will start to perform same-sex marriages.
The Reverend Hall, America Hero
Michael Tomasky
January 9, 2013
In 2003, when I was elected bishop, it was not at all certain that the Episcopal Church would consent to my election.
Bishop Gene Robinson on His New Book ‘God Believes in Love’ & More
David Sessions
September 21, 2012

Historical Examples of episcopal

"And of course we must go to the Episcopal church there," said Psyche.
The Spenders
Harry Leon Wilson
"That's Episcopal," Pee-wee said with withering superiority!
Pee-wee Harris
Percy Keese Fitzhugh
Now, as heretofore, we have episcopal reminders of the blessings of war.
Mountain Meditations
L. Lind-af-Hageby
But is not this understating the case on the Episcopal side?
Leading Articles on Various Subjects
Hugh Miller
So Alden bent his steps to the house of the Episcopal minister at Charlottesville.
Victor's Triumph
Mrs. E. D. E. N. Southworth

British Dictionary definitions for episcopal

episcopal

adjective

of, denoting, governed by, or relating to a bishop or bishops

Derived Formsepiscopally, adverb

Word Origin for episcopal

C15: from Church Latin episcopālis, from episcopus bishop

Episcopal

adjective

belonging to or denoting the Episcopal Church

Derived FormsEpiscopally, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for episcopal

adj.

mid-15c., from Middle French épiscopal (14c.), from Late Latin episcopalis, from Latin episcopus "an overseer" (see bishop). Reference to a church governed by bishops is 1752. With a capital E-, the ordinary designation of the Anglican church in the U.S. and Scotland.