Word
archbishop
Phoneticsarch·bish·op, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɑɹtʃˈbɪʃəp/
UK/ˌɑːtʃbˈɪʃəp/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a senior priest of high rank who is in charge of a large area in churches like the Catholic or Anglican church.
n. a senior bishop who governs an archdiocese and typically presides over a province of several dioceses.
Examples
“The archbishop led the special service at the cathedral.”
“After years of service in smaller parishes, he was appointed as the archbishop of the country's largest city.”
“The coronation ceremony required the presence of the archbishop to perform the traditional anointing, a ritual that has remained largely unchanged for several centuries.”
Examples
simple
“The archbishop led the special service at the cathedral.”
contextual
“After years of service in smaller parishes, he was appointed as the archbishop of the country's largest city.”
complex
“The coronation ceremony required the presence of the archbishop to perform the traditional anointing, a ritual that has remained largely unchanged for several centuries.”
Usage
Capitalised as a title before a name, such as Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Teaching tip
While 'bishop' is B1/B2 level, 'archbishop' is rarer and usually appears in news or historical contexts.
Real-World Examples
“The safeguards within this bill are not enough to support them."
The leader of Catholics in England and Wales, Archbishop Richard Moth, called the proposal "wrong in principle" and "deeply flawed".” “The Archbishop of Canterbury said she was "sad and shocked" to hear about the fatal incident.” Etymology
From Middle English erchebischop, archebischop, from Old English arċebisċop (“archbishop”), from Late Latin or Ecclesiastical Latin archiepiscopus, from Ancient Greek ἀρχιεπίσκοπος (arkhiepískopos), from ἀρχι- (arkhi-, “first, chief”) + ἐπίσκοπος (epískopos, “overseer”), from ἐπισκοπέω (episkopéō, “to watch over”), from ἐπί (epí, “over”) + σκοπέω (skopéō, “to examine”), equivalent to arch- + bishop.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
- Register
- Formal
QR code
englishreference.com/q/archbishop