# bishop

/ˈbɪʃəp/ (US) · /bˈɪʃəp/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bishop
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. church leader

noun · CEFR B1

a high-ranking priest who is in charge of the churches in a specific large area.

For teachers: a senior member of the Christian clergy, typically in charge of a diocese and empowered to confer holy orders.

- The bishop visited our local church to lead the special Sunday service.
- The bishop presided over the confirmation ceremony, delivering a sermon that addressed the challenges facing the modern diocese.

### 2. chess piece

noun · CEFR B1

a chess piece that can only move diagonally on squares of the same colour.

For teachers: a chess piece that moves any number of unoccupied squares in a diagonal direction.

- He moved his bishop across the board to put the king in danger.
- By positioning her bishop on the long diagonal, she effectively restricted the movement of her opponent's knight.

### 3. mulled wine drink

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

a warm drink made from red wine, sugar, and oranges with spices.

For teachers: a traditional punch or mulled drink consisting of port, sugar, and citrus fruits, often served hot.

- In the old story, the characters sat by the fire drinking a hot bishop.
- The host prepared a steaming bowl of bishop, the scent of roasted oranges and cloves filling the drawing room as the guests arrived.

### 4. ladybird beetle

noun · CEFR C2 · British English · Dialect

a small, round, bright beetle with spots, often called a ladybug.

For teachers: a regional name for a ladybird or ladybug beetle of the family Coccinellidae.

- The child found a tiny red bishop crawling on a leaf in the garden.
- Local folklore in East Anglia often refers to the common ladybird as a 'bishop-barnabee' or simply a 'bishop'.

## Examples

- The bishop visits our local church once every year.
- After years of service in small parishes, he was ordained as a bishop and took responsibility for the entire diocese.
- The grandmaster sacrificed his bishop to open a line of attack against the opponent's king, a bold move that eventually secured his victory in the tournament.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.