Archdiocese
/ˌɑːrkˈdaɪəsɪs/
nounIntermediateRareLegal
Meaning
Question
Definitions
1
The territory under the jurisdiction of an archbishop.
/ˌɑːrkˈdaɪəsɪs/
nounneutralIntermediate
Legal
A large diocese headed by an archbishop.
The new archbishop oversees the entire archdiocese.
💡 Simply: A big area ruled by a very important religious leader (an archbishop).
More Examples
2
Many cathedrals are located within the archdiocese.
How It's Used
Religious
"The archdiocese of Canterbury is one of the oldest in England."
From Late Latin *archidioecesis, from Greek ἀρχι- (arkhi-) 'chief, principal' + διοίκησις (dioikēsis) 'administration, diocese'.
The term 'archdiocese' has been used in its current sense since the early Middle Ages, reflecting the hierarchical structure of the Christian Church.
Memory tip
Arch- means 'chief', and diocese is a religious district, so it's the chief religious district.
Practice
archdiocesesarchdiocisarcdiocese
Usage
5%Spoken
95%Written