Word
episcopal
Phoneticsepis·co·pal
US/ɪˈpɪskəpəɫ/
UK/ɪpˈɪskɒpəl/
Definitions
01relating to bishops
adj. related to a bishop or the way a church is led by bishops.
adj. relating to or denoting the government of a church by bishops. The term is often used in ecclesiastical contexts to describe the hierarchy or authority of the clergy.
“The city is home to an episcopal palace where the bishop lives.”
“The council debated the extent of episcopal authority in matters of local parish administration and financial oversight.”
Formal · Technical
Usage
Usually placed before the noun it modifies.
Synonyms
02the Episcopal Church
adj. relating to the Episcopal Church, which is a branch of the Anglican church in the US and other countries.
adj. relating to the Episcopal Church, particularly the branch of the Anglican Communion in the United States and Scotland.
“They were married in a beautiful Episcopal ceremony last summer.”
“The Episcopal Church has played a significant role in the social and political history of the American Northeast since the colonial era.”
American English
Usage
Capitalized when referring to the specific denomination.
Synonyms
03a church member
n. a member of the Episcopal Church.
n. a member or adherent of an Episcopal church. This usage is less common than the adjective form and is often replaced by 'Episcopalian'.
“As a lifelong episcopal, she volunteered for the church every Sunday.”
“The congregation consisted mostly of local episcopals who had attended the same parish for generations.”
Formal · Dialect
Teaching tip
In modern American English, 'Episcopalian' is the standard noun for a person; using 'episcopal' as a noun is considered nonstandard or archaic by many.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Deadlocked over the candidates, the cardinals dragged out the election for so long that frustrated locals attacked the episcopal palace where the conclave was being held.” Etymology
See episcopal.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/episcopal