# bishop

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈbɪʃəp/ · frequency rank #3,742

## Definitions
1. An overseer of congregations: either any such overseer, generally speaking, or (in Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Anglicanism, etc.) an official in the church hierarchy (actively or nominally) governing a diocese, supervising the church's priests, deacons, and property in its territory.
2. An overseer of congregations: either any such overseer, generally speaking, or (in Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Anglicanism, etc.) an official in the church hierarchy (actively or nominally) governing a diocese, supervising the church's priests, deacons, and property in its territory.
3. The holder of the Greek or Roman position of episcopus, supervisor over the public dole of grain, etc.
4. Any watchman, inspector, or overlooker.
5. A chief of the Festival of Fools or St. Nicholas Day.
6. The chess piece denoted ♗ or ♝ which moves along diagonal lines and developed from the shatranj alfil ("elephant") and was originally known as the aufil or archer in English.
7. Any of various African birds of the genus Euplectes; a kind of weaverbird closely related to the widowbirds.
8. A ladybug or ladybird, beetles of the family Coccinellidae.
9. A flowering plant of the genus Bifora.
10. A sweet drink made from wine, usually with oranges, lemons, and sugar; mulled and spiced port.
11. A bustle.
12. A children's smock or pinafore.

## Etymology
From Middle English bischop, bishop, bisshop, biscop, from Old English bisċop (“bishop”), from Proto-West Germanic *biskop, from Vulgar Latin (e)biscopus, from classical Latin episcopus (“overseer, supervisor”), from Ancient Greek ἐπίσκοπος (epískopos, “overseer”), from ἐπί (epí, “over”) + σκοπός (skopós, “watcher”), used in Greek and Latin both generally and as a title of civil officers. Cognate with all European terms for the position in various Christian churches; compare also Middle English bisp (“bishop”).

## Easily confused with
- **bison** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bishop-vs-bison)
- **bishops** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bishop-vs-bishops)

## Common misspellings (9)
`bbishop`, `bihsop`, `bishhop`, `bishopp`, `bishpo`, `bisohp`, `bisshop`, `bsihop`, `ibshop`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/bishop