archdiocese
n. countablen. a large and important area that a high-ranking church leader, called an archbishop, is in charge of. It usually includes several smaller church areas.
n. the district or jurisdiction under the pastoral care of an archbishop. It typically serves as the primary see of an ecclesiastical province, overseeing subordinate dioceses.
The archdiocese manages many local schools and charities.
The local bishop reported directly to the head of the archdiocese regarding the new community project.
Administrative restructuring within the archdiocese led to the consolidation of several historic parishes to better allocate dwindling financial resources and clergy members.
Ultimately from Medieval Latin archdiocesis, variant of archidioecēsis, from archi- (“chief, main”) + Late Latin dioecēsis, q.v., equivalent to arch- + diocese.
Often used with the definite article when referring to a specific geographic region.