diocesan

UK: /daɪˈɒsɪs^ən/ US: /daɪˈɑsəsən/ ,(dī os′ə sən)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

di•oc•e•san  (dī os′ə sən), adj. 

1. Religion of or pertaining to a diocese.

n. 

2. Religion one of the clergy or people of a diocese.
3. Religion the bishop in charge of a diocese.

• Medieval Latin dioecēsānus. See diocese, -an
• Anglo-French)
• late Middle English (1400–50

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

diocesan / daɪˈɒsɪs^ən/ adjective

1. of or relating to a diocese

noun

1. the bishop of a diocese

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

di•o•cese /ˈdaɪəsɪs, -ˌsiz, -ˌsis/   n. [countable]

1. Religion a district under the rule or authority of a bishop:
   He was transferred from the Worcester diocese.

di•oc•e•san /daɪˈɑsəsən/  adj. [before a noun]

the diocesan newsletter.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

di•o•cese  (dī′ə sis, -sēz′, -sēs′), n. 

1. Religion an ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.

• Greek dioíkēsis housekeeping, administration, province, diocese, equivalent. to dioikē-, variant stem of dioikeîn to keep house, administer, govern (di- di-³ + oikeîn to dwell, occupy, manage, derivative of oîkos house) + -sis -sis
• Late Latin diocēsis, variant of Late Latin, Latin dioecēsis,
• Anglo-French
• Middle English diocise, diocese 1300–50