episcopus
[ɛˈpɪs.kɔ.pʊs]masculine
The Latin word for bishop is episcopus. Wiktionary also lists episcopa.
Meaning: church official, supervisor of priests and congregations (noun)
Ways to say it
| Latin | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| episcopus | [ɛˈpɪs.kɔ.pʊs] (Classical Latin, narrow) [eˈpis.ko.pus] (narrow) |
masculine |
| episcopa | feminine |
This term refers to a church official who serves as a supervisor of priests and congregations.
Which one should you use?
episcopus is the masculine form, while episcopa is the feminine form.
How does it change in a sentence?
episcopus is a masculine noun and episcopa is a feminine noun.
Did you know?
- The component skopos in the word's history is the same root found in the English word 'scope', as in 'telescope' or 'microscope'.
- In the early Latin church, the roles of episcopus and 'presbyter' (priest) were not always distinct, with some communities using the terms interchangeably.
- In later Medieval Latin, the term episcopus was often used in legal documents to denote a judge or an administrator of a territory, not just a spiritual leader.
Examples in context
- Episcopus in ecclesia est.The bishop is in the church.
- Hic est episcopus meus.This is my bishop.
- Episcopus urbis advenit.The bishop of the city arrives.
Example conversation
Lucius and Julia are walking through a village square.
- LuciusVidesne episcopum?Do you see the bishop?
- JuliaIta, episcopum in via video.Yes, I see the bishop in the street.
- LuciusEpiscopus est vir bonus.The bishop is a good man.
- JuliaIta vero, Luci.Indeed, Lucius.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bishop” translations and entries episcopus, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries episcopus, CC BY-SA 4.0.
