Vatican

American  

[vat-i-kuhn] / ˈvæt ɪ kən /

noun

1. 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.

2. the authority and government of the pope (distinguished from theQuirinal ).

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Vatican British  

/ ˈvætɪkən /

noun

1. 1. 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

   2. ( as modifier )

      the Vatican Council

2. 1. the authority of the Pope and the papal curia

   2. ( as modifier )

      a Vatican edict

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Etymology

Origin of Vatican

1545–55; < Latin vātīcānus ( mōns ) Vatican (hill)

Example Sentences

Pope Leo XIV, who is due to visit the Canary Islands next month, thanked the Atlantic archipelago for its solidarity during a Sunday prayer at the Vatican.

From Barron's • May 10, 2026

Rubio, a devout Catholic, sought to play down the rift ahead of the private audience, which will be followed by talks with Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

Rubio entered the Vatican through the Arch of the Bells, a privilege reserved for senior dignitaries, flanked by the colorfully clad Swiss Guards, who have been providing security to popes since 1506.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

At an event at the Vatican on Wednesday, Parolin said: "I imagine we'll talk about everything that's happened in recent days -- we can't avoid touching on these topics."

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

If you tried to bunch together thousands of chimpanzees into Tiananmen Square, Wall Street, the Vatican or the headquarters of the United Nations, the result would be pandemonium.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

Related Words

• pontiff