papacy

[ pey-puh-see ]

noun

, Roman Catholic Church.

, plural pa·pa·cies.

1. the office, dignity, or jurisdiction of the pope.
2. the system of ecclesiastical government in which the pope is recognized as the supreme head.
3. the period during which a certain pope is in office.
4. the succession or line of the popes.

papacy

/ ˈpeɪpəsɪ /

noun

1. the office or term of office of a pope
2. the system of government in the Roman Catholic Church that has the pope as its head

papacy

1. The office or position of the pope .

Other Words From

• anti·papa·cy adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of papacy¹

1350–1400; Middle English papacie < Medieval Latin pāpātia. See pope, -acy

Word History and Origins

Origin of papacy¹

C14: from Medieval Latin pāpātia, from pāpa pope ¹

Example Sentences

At the end of this one, Francis gave what many said was the best speech of his papacy.

From The Daily Beast

The Invention of Peter is not the first book to question the role of Peter and the foundations of the Papacy.

From The Daily Beast

Each edition of the magazine will include a new chapters to be torn out and collected to form a book of the Pope Francis papacy.

From The Daily Beast

Kertzer credits John Paul II with opening the files on the Pius XI papacy, in 2002, which made him decide to embark upon the book.

From The Daily Beast

But, then again, the changes in store under this papacy have only just begun.

From The Daily Beast

Jacobitism and the Papacy had become in most people's minds closely connected ideas.

From Project Gutenberg

Cesare Balbo in Piedmont was pleading for the same mild policy, without its faith in the Papacy.

From Project Gutenberg

The winning of Rome meant the downfall of the Papacy, the triumph of liberty of conscience, the dawn of a new religion.

From Project Gutenberg

Pisa was perhaps influenced, too, in her choice of the Ghibelline side by the interference of the Papacy against her in Corsica.

From Project Gutenberg

And probably because the rose typified secrecy, while the cross was a protest against the tyranny and superstition of the Papacy.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• pontiff