Definition of PAPACY

papacy

Plural: papacies

Noun

  • the government of the Roman Catholic Church
  • The office of a pope.
  • The office of a pope.
  • The office of the pope of Rome, who is the head of the Roman Catholic Church.
  • The period of a particular pope's reign.
  • Roman Catholicism generally: synonym of popery.

Examples

  • "The papacy of John Paul II ended in 2005, after the pope's long battle with illness ended."
  • "The Vatican defends the primacy of the papacy."

Origin / Etymology

Circa 14th century, from Middle English papacie, papassie, from Medieval Latin pāpātia, from Latin pāpa (“pope”) + -tia (“office, rank”) (English -cy).

Synonyms

pontificate

Scrabble Score: 15

papacy is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
papacy is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
papacy is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 17

papacy is a valid Words With Friends word