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View synonyms for pontiff

pontiff

[pon-tif]

noun

  1. any pontifex.

  2. any high or chief priest.

  3. Ecclesiastical.

    1. a bishop.

    2. the Roman Catholic pope, the Bishop of Rome.



pontiff

/ ˈpɒntɪf /

noun

  1. a former title of the pagan high priest at Rome, later used of popes and occasionally of other bishops, and now confined exclusively to the pope

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

pontiff

  1. Another name for the pope. Pontiff comes from a Latin word, meaning “bridge builder,” that was used as a title for some of the priests of ancient Rome.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of pontiff1

1600–10; earlier pontife < French, short for Latin pontifex pontifex
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Word History and Origins

Origin of pontiff1

C17: from French pontife, from Latin pontifex
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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.

King Charles and Pope Leo are to become the first British monarch and pontiff to pray together at a church service since the Reformation in the 16th Century.

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Charles, 76, last met Francis, which whom he also shared a passion for protecting the environment, in Rome in April despite having officially postponed the private audience due to the pontiff's poor health.

Read more on Barron's

The US pontiff urged the world to rouse itself from "the fatal lethargy in which we are immersed".

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"The agreement to begin the peace process has given a spark of hope in the Holy Land," the US-born pontiff said at the end of Sunday's Angelus prayer.

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Reiterating the words of his predecessor Pope Francis, the new pontiff lambasted critics who "ridicule those who speak of global warming".

Read more on BBC

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pontifexpontific