episcopacy

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)The office of bishop and the governance of a church (a religious denomination) by bishops.

   “Near-synonyms: bishopric, bishopry, bishopdom, bishopship, bishophood, archbishopric, archbishopry, archbishopdom, archbishopship, archbishophood”

   “Further religious division occurred during the post-Restoration decades in the reign of Charles II, when strenuous and violent efforts were made by the Government to impose an episcopacy on the Scottish Church.”

2. (countable, uncountable)Bishops collectively: Synonym of episcopate.

   “Near-synonyms: bishopric, bishopry, bishopdom, bishopship, archbishopric, archbishopry, archbishopdom, archbishopship”