antiepiscopal
|an-ti-e-pis-co-pal|
/ˌæn.ti.ɪˈpɪs.kə.pəl/
against bishops / episcopacy
Etymology
'antiepiscopal' originates from Modern English, formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti') meaning 'against' and the adjective 'episcopal' (from Late Latin 'episcopalis' and Greek 'episkopos') meaning 'bishop'.
'episcopal' changed from Late Latin 'episcopalis', which came from Greek 'episkopos' (ἐπίσκοπος, 'overseer' or 'bishop'), and the prefix 'anti-' was borrowed from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against'; these elements combined in English to form the compound 'antiepiscopal'.
Initially it meant 'against bishops or episcopacy', and over time it has retained that core meaning as 'opposed to bishops or the system of church government by bishops'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
opposed to episcopacy or to the authority of bishops; hostile to bishops or the system of church government by bishops.
The reformers were openly antiepiscopal, arguing that too much power was concentrated in the hands of bishops.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/31 16:06