episcopate means bishops seen as a group. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 83 out of 100.
episcopate is pronounced /ɪˈpɪskəpət/.
Why “episcopate” is a great word
EPISCOPATE — [Noun] The office, tenure, or collective body of bishops. From Late Latin episcopatus ("office of a bishop"), from Latin episcopus ("bishop"), from Ancient Greek ἐπίσκοπος (epískopos, "overseer, watcher"). Unlike "episcopacy," which often denotes the abstract system of governance, or "presbyterate," which signifies the order of priests, the episcopate is the concrete embodiment of oversight: the weight of a pectoral cross against a chest, the rustle of a purple cassock in a stone corridor, and the solemn line of succession inscribed in a diocesan ledger. It is office as both burden and lineage—the long, unbroken chain of shepherds watching, however dimly, over the fold.
Etymology
From Late Latin episcopatus, from Latin episcopus, from Ancient Greek ἐπίσκοπος (epískopos, “watching over”).
noun
- Bishops seen as a group.“The American Roman Catholic episcopate meets regularly.”
- The tenure in office of a bishop.“Bishop Smith's episcopate ran for more than 30 years.”
- A bishop's jurisdiction, the extent of his diocese.