papacy

noun

pa·​pa·​cy ˈpā-pə-sē How to pronounce papacy (audio)
plural papacies
1
: the office of pope
2
: a succession or line of popes
3
: the term of a pope's reign
4
capitalized : the system of government of the Roman Catholic Church of which the pope is the supreme head

Examples of papacy in a Sentence

He was selected by the cardinals for the papacy.
Recent Examples on the Web Since then, his papacy has been defined by an unprecedented effort to expand the reach of the church’s pastoral ministries, including, and perhaps especially, the divorced, gay and lesbian couples, and transgender people. Harry Bruinius, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Dec. 2023 Throughout his papacy, Francis has withheld the church's position on doctrinal matters but introduced a softer approach to those who didn't follow the church's teaching, especially regarding LGBTQ people. Melissa Gaffney, ABC News, 18 Dec. 2023 But for a period of time, the letter represented a serious attack on Francis’ papacy. Harriet Ryan, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2023 The document also marks the latest gesture of outreach from a pope who has made welcoming LGBTQ+ Catholics a hallmark of his papacy. Compiled By Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 19 Dec. 2023 Francis has made defenses of the environment a main part of the social teaching of his 10-year-old papacy, writing two major documents on the topic — in 2015 and this past October. Reuters, NBC News, 2 Dec. 2023 The capitulation has accelerated during Pope Francis’s papacy and under Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin. Heather Wilhelm, National Review, 9 Nov. 2023 Burke has become prominent in Catholic media over the past few years due to his consistent criticisms of decisions made under the current papacy. Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 28 Nov. 2023 Last week, in Matanza, a Buenos Aires suburb, about two dozen priests held a Mass to pray for Francis’s return to Argentina for the first time since the start of his papacy. David Feliba, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'papacy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English papacie, from Medieval Latin papatia, from Late Latin papa pope — more at pope

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of papacy was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near papacy

Cite this Entry

“Papacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/papacy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

papacy

noun
pa·​pa·​cy ˈpā-pə-sē How to pronounce papacy (audio)
plural papacies
1
: the office of pope
2
: the term of a pope's reign
3
capitalized : the government of the Roman Catholic Church of which the pope is the head

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