episcopal meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

episcopal

adjalso spelled Episcopal

/əˈpɪs.kə.pl̩/

Etymology From Middle English episcopal, from Late Latin episcopālis, from Latin episcopus, from Ancient Greek ἐπίσκοπος (epískopos, “watchman, overseer”).

Of or relating to the affairs of a bishop in various Christian churches.

Inthronization, in ancient times, immediately succeeded the rite of consecration; the new bishop being honourably placed in his episcopal chair by the prelates assembled for his consecration.1845, William Palmer, Origines Liturgicae, or, Antiquities of the English Ritual: And a Dissertation on Primitive Liturgies, 4th edition, volume 2, London: Francis & John Rivington, →OCLC, page 310:

Derived terms: alternative episcopal oversight, antiepiscopal, episcopally, nonepiscopal, unepiscopal
Related terms: episcopacy, episcopalian, Episcopalian, Episcopalianism, episcopy, episcope

Episcopal

noun

Etymology See episcopal.

Nonstandard An adherent of an Anglican church, especially the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, or the Anglican churches in the Philippines, western Asia, South Sudan, the Horn of Africa, and most of north Africa.

Episcopal

adj

Etymology See episcopal.

Usually Of or relating to Anglicanism or an Anglican church, especially the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, or the Anglican churches in the Philippines, western Asia, South Sudan, the Horn of Africa, and most of north Africa.

St. Matthew's Episcopal Church
St. Mark's Episcopal Church

3 more examples

St. Luke's Episcopal Church
Jane Doe was ordained as an Episcopal priest last year in the Diocese of Edinburgh.
The cathedral is part of the Episcopal Church, the American branch of Anglicanism. Considered the "church of the establishment" for much of American history -- 11 US presidents have been Episcopalian -- the church of late has been known as a forerunner of progressive theology.2019 August 16, Daniel Burke, “How Pete Buttigieg found God”, in CNN, archived from the original on 22 Oct 2021:

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — authors: page histories for episcopal and Episcopal.