pontifical

American  

[pon-tif-i-kuhl] / pɒnˈtɪf ɪ kəl /

Rarely pontificial

adjective

1. relating to or proceeding from a pope or from the office of the pope; papal.

   This document gathers together and sums up all the pontifical teachings on Saint Thomas Aquinas.

   The pontifical court of Innocent IV was maintained at Lyons rather than Rome.

2. (of an academic institution) established or certified by the office of the pope and covering disciplines directly related to Christian belief, such as theology, philosophy, and canon law.

   The outspoken Dominican nun teaches theology at a pontifical university in Rome.

3. relating to, characteristic of, or conducted by a high-ranking prelate, especially a bishop.

4. pompous, dogmatic, or pretentious.

   His coworkers resented his lofty and pontifical manner, which they found arrogant.

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noun

1. null Pontifical (in the Western Church) a book containing the forms for the sacraments and other rites and ceremonies to be performed by bishops.

   She has recently published her thesis about an illuminated Pontifical made in 1350 for the archbishop of Narbonne.

2. pontificals, the vestments and other insignia of a high-ranking prelate, especially a bishop.

pontifical British  

/ pɒnˈtɪfɪkəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a pontiff, the pope, or a bishop

2. having an excessively authoritative manner; pompous

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noun

1. RC Church Church of England a book containing the prayers and ritual instructions for ceremonies restricted to a bishop

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unpontifical
  adjective
• unpontifically
  adverb
• pontifically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of pontifical

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin pontificālis, from pontific-, stem of pontifex pontifex + -ālis -al ¹

Explanation

If you ever listen to talk radio you'll hear some fairly pontifical talk going on — that is, puffed up, vain, overblown speech from someone convinced he alone is right. Pontifical also has a strictly religious meaning, in the sense of anything related to the Pope since the Pope is also known as the Pontiff, or supreme head of the Roman Catholic church. Because Catholic doctrine regards the Pope's official decrees as incapable of being wrong, his pontifical utterances are therefore deemed infallible.

Example Sentences

Paolo Ruffini, in charge of communications for the meeting, denied the debate had been put under the pontifical secret, one of the highest forms of confidentiality in the church.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 3, 2023

“This is your decision Holy Father, I won’t force you if we won’t observe the pontifical secret,” he said.

From Washington Post • Nov. 30, 2022

He also studied to become a Jesuit priest, and though he ultimately changed his mind, he did enough work to receive a pontifical degree in philosophy from the Roman Catholic Church in 1965.

From New York Times • Oct. 30, 2022

Becciu kept to that until Francis released him from the pontifical secret so he could testify in his own defense.

From Seattle Times • May 21, 2022

You may attempt to defend your enervating use of the passive voice by pointing out that the only alternative is excessive reliance upon the first person personal pronoun or upon the pontifical We.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker