diocese

noun

di·​o·​cese ˈdī-ə-səs How to pronounce diocese (audio)
-ˌsēs,
-ˌsēz
plural dioceses ˈdī-ə-sə-səz How to pronounce diocese (audio)
-ˌsē-zəz,
 nonstandard  ˈdī-ə-ˌsēz
: the territorial jurisdiction of a bishop
diocesan
dī-ˈä-sə-sən How to pronounce diocese (audio)
 also  ˈdī-ə-ˌsē-sᵊn
adjective

Examples of diocese in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In addition, the diocese proposed giving all the rights and interests of its insurance policies to the trust, which could allow victims of abuse to seek money from the diocese’s insurers. —Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024 The Colorado Catholic Conference — a nonprofit representing the state’s three dioceses in Denver, Colorado Springs and Pueblo and their four bishops — isn’t independently structured, operating instead as a project of the Archdiocese of Denver from a legal tax status. —Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, The Denver Post, 31 Oct. 2024 The settlements have been financially crushing for Catholic dioceses across the country. —Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2024 The diocese, which is located in Spain, explained that the tomb was last opened in 1914. —Andrea Vacchiano, Fox News, 9 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for diocese 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English diocise, dyoces, borrowed from Anglo-French diocise, dyocés, borrowed from Late Latin diocēsis, dioecēsis "administrative district, province, group of provinces (in the later Roman Empire), jurisdiction of a bishop" (Latin, "administrative district"), borrowed from Late Greek dioíkēsis "administration, control, ordering, civil or ecclesiastical group of provinces, jurisdiction of a bishop," going back to Greek, "management, administration," from dioikē-, variant stem of dioikéō, dioikeîn "to control, manage, look after" (from di- di- + oikeîn "to live, have one's home, order, govern," derivative of oîkos "house, home") + -sis -sis — more at vicinity

Note: In early Modern English diocise, passed on from Middle English, competed unsuccessfully with the Latin/French-influenced forms diocess and diocese. The variant diocess was predominant in the eighteenth century and is the only form entered in Samuel Johnson's dictionary (1755). The situation had changed, at least in the U.S., by the early nineteenth century: Noah Webster, in his American Dictionary of the English Language (1828), enters only diocese, and regards diocess as "a very erroneous orthography."

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of diocese was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near diocese

diocesan curate

diocese

diocesian

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Diocese.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diocese. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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Kids Definition

diocese

noun
di·​o·​cese ˈdī-ə-səs How to pronounce diocese (audio)
-ˌsēz,
-ˌsēs
plural dioceses ˈdī-ə-ˌsēz How to pronounce diocese (audio)
-ˌsē-zēz,
-sə-səz
: the district over which a bishop has authority

More from Merriam-Webster on diocese

Nglish: Translation of diocese for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about diocese

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