papal
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to the pope or the papacy.
a papal visit to Canada.
-
of or relating to the Roman Catholic Church.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of papal
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Medieval Latin word pāpālis. See pope, -al 1
Explanation
Anything papal has to do to with the Pope, such as papal orders or papal ceremonies. The Catholic Church is led by the Pope. His office is the papacy, and anything that is ordered by the Pope or involving the Pope can be called papal. The papal robes are ornamental and beautiful. The power of the Pope can be called the papal authority. Someone who represents the Pope is a papal representative. Anything papal can also be referred to as pontifical or apostolic, since the Pope is considered the modern version of Jesus' apostles.
Vocabulary lists containing papal
Vocabulary from the Magna Carta on its 800th Anniversary
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Top 50 Wordle Words of 2024
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"The Canterbury Tales" by Geoffrey Chaucer, The Pardoner's Prologue
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Leaders of several armed and secessionist groups said the three‑day measure was in recognition of the "profound spiritual importance" of the papal visit, which starts on Wednesday, and the need to safeguard civilian life.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
Chicago-born Leo, the first American pope, is a sports fan, enjoying baseball and basketball, while he swims and plays tennis regularly at the papal out-of-town residence, Castel Gandolfo.
From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026
The growing resort to warfare is squeezing the space for papal envoys’ efforts at quiet mediation.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 21, 2026
Preparations for papal visits, which usually draw huge crowds, take months but the Vatican only confirms the details a few weeks in advance.
From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026
His papal forces joined with the Kingdom of Naples, and together their armies marched on Florence.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
