Diocese
/ˈdaɪ.ə.siːs/noun
A district under the pastoral care of a bishop in the Christian Church.
Did you know?Diocese ultimately comes from Greek *dioikēsis*, a term for administration or management, from a root meaning “to manage a household,” showing how spiritual power inherited the language of civil control.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
dioíkēsis (διοίκησις)
“administration, management, governance”
Late Latin
Latin
diœcesis
“a civil administrative district”
Old French
Old French
diocese
“a bishop’s district”
Middle English
English
diocise / diocese
“an ecclesiastical district under a bishop”
Modern English
English
diocese
“a district under the care of a bishop”