The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
autocephalous — [ôt΄ōsef′ə ləs] adj. [see AUTO & CEPHALOUS] self governing; independent: said of certain churches within the communion of the Eastern Orthodox Church … English World dictionary
Autocephalous — In a general sense the term describes a characteristic feature of every bishopric, namely, that it elects its own primate, or head, and is self governing (auto, in Greek, means self, and kephale means head ). More specifically, the term is… … Historical dictionary of Byzantium
Autocephalous Turkish Orthodox Patriarchate — Bağımsız Türk Ortodoks Patrikhanesi Founder Papa Eftim I Independence … Wikipedia
autocephalous church — ▪ Eastern Orthodoxy in the modern usage of Eastern Orthodox canon law, church that enjoys total canonical and administrative independence and elects its own primates and bishops. The term autocephalous was used in medieval Byzantine law in… … Universalium
autocephalous — adjective Etymology: Late Greek autokephalos, from Greek aut + kephalē head more at cephalic Date: 1863 being independent of external and especially patriarchal authority used especially of Eastern national churches • autocephaly … New Collegiate Dictionary
autocephalous — /aw teuh sef euh leuhs/, adj. Eastern Ch. 1. (of a church) having its own head or chief bishop, though in communion with other Orthodox churches. 2. (of a bishop) subordinate to no superior authority; self governing. [1860 65; < LGk autoképhalos… … Universalium
autocephalous — adjective /ɔːtə(ʊ)ˈsɛfələs/ Self governing or autonomous: independent of other episcopal jurisdiction. See Also: autocephaly, autocephalic … Wiktionary
autocephalous — adj. type of Church that has its own chief bishop, independent of episcopal or patriarchal jurisdiction (Religion) … English contemporary dictionary
autocephalous — [ˌɔ:tə(ʊ) sɛf(ə)ləs, kɛf ] adjective (of an Eastern Christian Church) appointing its own head, not subject to the authority of an external patriarch or archbishop. Origin C19: from Gk autokephalos (from autos self + kephalē head ) + ous … English new terms dictionary
Autocephalous — ♦ Self headed, autonomous. Used to describe a branch of the Orthodox Church (e.g., the Serbian Church) that could, while remaining in communion with Constantinople, elect its own bishop and administer itself; such a Church, however, did not have… … Medieval glossary
