A bishop is a senior leader in certain Christian churches who oversees many congregations in a region. While a pastor or priest leads one church, a bishop has authority over dozens or even hundreds of churches in an area called a diocese. Bishops ordain new priests, confirm church members, and help settle important questions about faith and church operations.

The role dates back nearly 2,000 years to the earliest days of Christianity. In churches like the Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and Methodist traditions, bishops wear special vestments and often carry a ceremonial staff called a crozier, which looks like a shepherd's crook to symbolize caring for their flock.

The word also names a chess piece that moves diagonally across the board. Each player starts with two bishops, and they're often considered more valuable than knights or pawns because of their long-range movement. The chess piece got its name because its pointed top resembles a bishop's traditional hat, called a mitre.

In everyday language, you might hear about a bishop speaking at a cathedral, or you might tell your friend “your bishop is threatening my knight” during a chess match.