diocese

noun

di·​o·​cese ˈdī-ə-səs How to pronounce diocese (audio)
-ˌsēs, 
-ˌsēz
plural dioceses ˈdī-ə-sə-səz How to pronounce diocese (audio)
-ˌsē-zəz
nonstandard ˈdī-ə-ˌsēz
: the territorial jurisdiction of a bishop
diocesan
dī-ˈä-sə-sən How to pronounce diocese (audio)
also ˈdī-ə-ˌsē-sᵊn
adjective

Examples of diocese in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In other words, the biggest threats on the horizon might not be the Vatican or their local dioceses as much as time and money. — Jonathan Bullington, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026 From the capital, Lima, he is scheduled to travel north to his former diocese, then on to the ancient Inca capital of Cusco high in the Andes and the Amazonian city of Pucallpa. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 Please join me and the people of the Holy Father's home diocese in praying for his swift and complete recovery. — Tara Molina, CBS News, 11 Oct. 2026 It will also be broadcast by Catholic media giant EWTN and livestreamed on the YouTube channel of the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, the diocese where Sheen was ordained. — Aleja Hertzler-McCain, NPR, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for diocese

Word History

Etymology

Middle English diocise, dyoces, borrowed from Anglo-French diocise, dyocés, borrowed from Late Latin diocēsis, dioecēsis "administrative district, province, group of provinces (in the later Roman Empire), jurisdiction of a bishop" (Latin, "administrative district"), borrowed from Late Greek dioíkēsis "administration, control, ordering, civil or ecclesiastical group of provinces, jurisdiction of a bishop," going back to Greek, "management, administration," from dioikē-, variant stem of dioikéō, dioikeîn "to control, manage, look after" (from di- di- + oikeîn "to live, have one's home, order, govern," derivative of oîkos "house, home") + -sis -sis — more at vicinity

Note: In early Modern English diocise, passed on from Middle English, competed unsuccessfully with the Latin/French-influenced forms diocess and diocese. The variant diocess was predominant in the eighteenth century and is the only form entered in Samuel Johnson's dictionary (1755). The situation had changed, at least in the U.S., by the early nineteenth century: Noah Webster, in his American Dictionary of the English Language (1828), enters only diocese, and regards diocess as "a very erroneous orthography."

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of diocese was in the 14th century

Rhymes for diocese

See All Rhymes for diocese

Browse Nearby Words

diocesan curate
diocese
diocesian
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Diocese.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diocese. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

diocese

noun
di·​o·​cese ˈdī-ə-səs How to pronounce diocese (audio)
-ˌsēz, 
-ˌsēs
plural dioceses ˈdī-ə-ˌsēz How to pronounce diocese (audio)
-ˌsē-zēz, 
-sə-səz
: the district over which a bishop has authority

More from Merriam-Webster on diocese

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about diocese

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