(of any bishop of a diocese) subordinate to and assisting his or her superior archbishop or metropolitan
b.
(of any assistant bishop) having the duty of assisting the bishop of the diocese to which he or she is appointed but having no ordinary jurisdiction in that diocese
noun
2.
a suffragan bishop
Derived forms
suffraganship (ˈsuffraganship)
noun
Word origin
C14: from Medieval Latin suffragāneus, from suffrāgium assistance, from Latin: suffrage
suffragan in American English
(ˈsʌfrəɡən)
adjective
1.
assisting or auxiliary to, as applied to any bishop in relation to the archbishop or metropolitan who is his or her superior, or as applied to anassistant or subsidiary bishop who performs episcopal functions in a diocese but has no ordinary jurisdiction, as, in the Church of England, a bishop consecrated to assist the ordinary bishop of a see in part of the diocese
2. (of a see or diocese)
subordinate to an archiepiscopal or metropolitan see
noun
3.
a suffragan bishop
Word origin
[1350–1400; ME suffragane ‹ ML suffrāgāneus voting, equiv. to suffrāg(ium) suffrage + -āneus, composite adj. suffix, equiv. to -ān(us) -an + -eus-eous]
Examples of 'suffragan' in a sentence
suffragan
Opening my eyes I found the suffragan bishop of Starmouth stooping over me.
Howatch, Susan ABSOLUTE TRUTHS
Finally my suffragan said in a tone which I could not quite classify: `At least leave everything to us until after the funeral.
Howatch, Susan ABSOLUTE TRUTHS
said the suffragan Bishop of Starmouth, startled to speak to