diocese

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a district under the pastoral and administrative authority of a bishop

   The bishop spent her first year visiting every parish in the diocese.

2. 2
   noun

   a group of provinces forming an administrative division of the later Roman Empire; historical

   Under Diocletian's reforms, several provinces were grouped into a larger diocese.

From Middle English diocise, through Old French and Late Latin diocesis, from Greek dioikesis, 'administration' or 'district.' The Roman term named a civil administrative division before the Christian church applied it to territory governed by a bishop.

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