pontifex

American  

[pon-tuh-feks] / ˈpɒn təˌfɛks /

noun

Roman Religion.

plural

pontifices

1. a member of the Pontifical College, which was presided over by a chief priest Pontifex Maximus.

---

pontifex British  

/ ˈpɒntɪˌfɛks /

noun

1. (in ancient Rome) any of the senior members of the Pontifical College, presided over by the Pontifex Maximus

---

Etymology

Origin of pontifex

1570–80; < Latin: apparently literally, path-maker, equivalent to ponti- (stem of pōns ) bridge, probably originally, path ( see pons) + -fec- (combining form of facere to make) + -s nominative singular ending; the literal application is unclear

Example Sentences

The new pontifex maximus has much work ahead of him to wrangle the faithful into unity.

From Los Angeles Times • May 10, 2025

If he sometimes sounds like a pontifex maximus, he generally talks neither down nor with false humility.

From Time Magazine Archive

Gratian was the first emperor to refuse the title of pontifex maximus, and to deprive paganism of its status as an official religion of Rome.

From A History of Rome to 565 A. D. by Boak, Arthur Edward Romilly

Illico sanctissimus pontifex unxit oleo sancto Carolum, &c.—

From The Power Of The Popes by Daunou, Pierre Claude Fran?ois

Caesar was at the time, let us note, the head of the Roman religion, pontifex 306maximus.

From The Religious Experience of the Roman People From the Earliest Times to the Age of Augustus by Fowler, W. Warde

Related Words

• pope