[f. late L. archiepiscop-us, a. Gr. ἀρχι-επίσκοπος (Athanasius c. 320) archbishop + -ACY.] a. The system of church government by archbishops. † b. = ARCHIEPISCOPATE (obs.).
1642. Sir E. Dering, Sp. on Relig., xvi. 83. Away with Archiepiscopacy both roote and branch.
1662. J. Bargrave, Pope Alex. VII. (1867), 63. Those many difficulties he met with in his archiepiscopacy.
