Vatican
Americannoun
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Also called Vatican Palace. the chief residence of the popes in Vatican City, now also including a library, archives, art museum, apartments, and administrative offices.
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the authority and government of the pope (distinguished from theQuirinal ).
noun
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the palace of the popes in Rome and their principal residence there since 1377, which includes administrative offices, a library, museum, etc, and is attached to the basilica of St Peter's
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( as modifier )
the Vatican Council
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the authority of the Pope and the papal curia
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( as modifier )
a Vatican edict
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Etymology
Origin of Vatican
1545–55; < Latin vātīcānus ( mōns ) Vatican (hill)
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.
"How would Muslims feel if Mecca were destroyed? How would Catholics feel if Rome or the Vatican were destroyed?" she asks.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
There were reports of tensions between Macron and the Vatican team sent to make arrangements, with the president allegedly frustrated in his wish for a more ceremonial aspect to the visit.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
The Vatican and the foreign ministries of Pakistan and Russia didn’t respond to requests for comment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
The Vatican announced in August that Pope Leo XIV will meet victims of clerical sexual abuse during his visit.
From Barron's
Leonardo is now in Rome, where a new pope from the Medici family—Pope Leo X—is busy bankrupting the Vatican by commissioning massive new works of art.
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.
