'archbishop' originates from Late Latin, specifically the word 'archiepiscopus', where 'archi-' meant 'chief' and 'episkopos' meant 'overseer (bishop)'.

'archbishop' changed from Late Latin 'archiepiscopus' and Old French forms (e.g. 'archevesque'), and through Middle English became the modern English word 'archbishop'.

Initially, it meant 'chief overseer' (from Greek components), and over time it came to denote specifically 'a senior bishop who oversees an archdiocese and other bishops'.