n. (in full suffragan bishop or bishop suffragan)
1. a bishop appointed to help a diocesan bishop in the administration of a diocese.
2 a bishop in relation to his archbishop or metropolitan.
Phrases and idioms:
suffragan see the see of a suffragan bishop.
Derivatives:
suffraganship n.
Etymology: ME f. AF & OF, repr. med.L suffraganeus assistant (bishop) f. L suffragium (see SUFFRAGE): orig. of a bishop summoned to vote in synod