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primateship

primateship

9.9
The job of the senior bishop who leads some Christian churches
  • noun
  • /ˈpraɪmətˌʃɪp/
  • Formal
translation icon : primacía
  • His tenure in the primateship was marked by significant reforms in the church.

Examples

  • The primateship of Canterbury is a significant role in the Church of England.

  • The election to the primateship brought new responsibilities and challenges.

  • After the death of the previous leader, the primateship remained vacant for several months.

  • He was elected to the primateship after a long election process.

  • His tenure in the primateship was marked by significant reforms in the church.

  • The election to the primateship brought new responsibilities and challenges.

  • After the death of the previous leader, the primateship remained vacant for several months.

Surface Forms

primateship singular
primateships plural

Morphology

primateship = primate (transparent) = primate + ship

The noun is a regular formation from 'primate' + '-ship' meaning the office or status, which is a productive, learnable pattern.

Etymology

Primateship comes from the word primate, which comes from the old Latin word primus meaning 'first'. Think of the English word prime or 'primary', which also mean 'first', so primateship is the position of the 'first' or leading bishop in a church.