Holy See

American  

noun

1. Roman Catholic Church. the see of Rome; the office or jurisdiction of the pope.

2. the papal court.

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Holy See British  

noun

1. the see of the pope as bishop of Rome and head of the Church

2. the Roman curia

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Holy See Cultural  

1. In the Roman Catholic Church, the official name for the jurisdiction of the pope (the word see is from the Latin for “seat”).

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Etymology

Origin of Holy See

First recorded in 1755–65

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Holy See

From the Holy See to Silicon Valley, each day brings a fresh wave of discourse.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026

As a priest, I have advised governments, the United Nations and the Holy See on what it means to build technology responsibly.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026

While Francis visited France three times as pope -- to Strasbourg, Marseille and the island of Corsica -- those trips were not official state visits by the Holy See.

From Barron's ● May 16, 2026

The meeting with the pope “underscored the strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See and their shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity,” Pigott said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026

The spoliation of the Holy See, as the reader may now perceive, is after all an old story.

From The Catholic World; Volume I, Issues 1-6 A Monthly Eclectic Magazine by Rameur, E.