bishop English · revision 5608

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 830|origins=grc ἐπίσκοπος}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈbɪʃ.əp/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|bisshop]], [[inh|ang|bisċop|alt=biscop, bisceop]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) an early borrowing, like Old Saxon biscop and Old High German biscof,^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) [[bor|la|episcopus|t=bishop, overseer]] through a popular form *biscopus,^(Hoad 1986)^(Etymonline) from [[grc|ἐπίσκοπος|tr=epískopos|t=watcher, overseer]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[m|grc|ἐπί|tr=epí|t=over]] and [[m|grc|σκοπός|tr=skopós|t=one who watches]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021) from [[ine-pro|*speḱ-|alt=*spek-|t=to observe]].^(Etymonline) It is related to [[episcopal]] and [[scope]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A bishop: Old English biscop before 830, in the Vespasian Psalter.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Greek episkopos was a title for various officials before the Church took it over;^(Etymonline) in the New Testament it describes elders.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Old English bisceop also meant a high priest, Jewish or pagan, and the OED records the sense “chief priest of any religion” from about 893.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The chess piece is from 1562.^(OED 1989) English bishop and French évêque, from the same Latin word, have no letter in common.^(Etymonline) ''Bishopric'' is Old English bisceoprice, about 890, from rice “realm”.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 830 – a bishop.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 893 – a chief priest of any religion.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1562 – the chess piece.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A senior member of the Christian [[clergy]], usually in charge of a [[diocese]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A chess piece, shaped like a bishop's mitre, that moves diagonally.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[bishopless]]

+ * [[bishoplike]]

+ * [[archbishop]]

+ * [[bishopric]]

+ * [[Bishops' Bible]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[episcopal]]

+ * [[Episcopalian]]

+ * [[episcopate]]

+ * [[scope]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The verb bishop, to file a horse's teeth to make it look younger, is from the early 18th century and comes from the surname Bishop.^(SOED 2002)^(MWU 2024) In northern English and Scottish dialect ''the bishop has put his foot in it'' was said of burnt milk or porridge.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}