The Collaborative International Dictionary
Diocese \Di"o*cese\, n.; pl. Dioceses. [OE. diocise, OF. diocise, F. dioc['e]se, L. dioecesis, fr. Gr. ? housekeeping, administration, a province, a diocese, fr. ? to keep house, manage; dia` through + ? to manage a household, ? a house. See Economy.] (Eccl.) The circuit or extent of a bishop's jurisdiction; the district in which a bishop exercises his ecclesiastical authority. [Frequently, but improperly, spelt diocess.]
Usage examples of "diocess".
During this session an act was passed, by which the secular jurisdiction of the county palatine of Durham, with all forfeitures, mines, treasure trove, and other rights belonging to that authority, were transferred from the bishop of the diocess and vested in the crown.
In making all these provisions the archbishop of the province and the bishops of the diocesses were to be associated with the ecclesiastical commissioners.
The bill concerning the territories and revenues of the diocesses, or the established church bill, recited those parts of the reports of the commissioners which set forth the proposed alterations among the sees, and deductions from their revenues.