episcopacy
/ɪˈpɪskəpəsɪ/noun
(pl. -ies)［mass noun］
1- government of a Church by bishops（教会的）主教制, 主教统辖制度。
1.1
the episcopacy
the bishops of a region or church collectively总称主教。
1.2
- another term for EPISCOPATE.
词源
mid 17th cent.: from ecclesiastical Latin episcopatus 'episcopate', on the pattern of prelacy.