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.]
   [1913 Webster]

	

	diocese
    n 1: the territorial jurisdiction of a bishop [syn: diocese,
         bishopric, episcopate]

	

	48 Moby Thesaurus words for "diocese":
   Kreis, archbishopric, archdiocese, arrondissement, bailiwick,
   bishopric, borough, canton, city, commune, conference,
   congressional district, constablewick, county, departement,
   district, duchy, electoral district, electorate, government,
   hamlet, hundred, magistracy, metropolis, metropolitan area, oblast,
   okrug, parish, precinct, principality, province, region, riding,
   see, sheriffalty, sheriffwick, shire, shrievalty, soke, stake,
   state, synod, territory, town, township, village, wapentake,
   ward

	

	DIOCESE, eccl. law. The district over which a bishop exercises his spiritual 
functions. 1 B1. Com. 111.