: of or relating to a pope or to the Roman Catholic Church
also
: resembling a pope or that of a pope
Examples of papal in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
With 2,000-year-old ancient Roman roads and Etruscan tombs, grand villas, papal palaces, charming medieval towns, rolling countryside, and unforgettable food and wine, Lazio has something for every traveler.
—
Fulvio De Bonis, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2025
That later became the foundational precedent for centuries of papal claims to secular authority over the papal states of the Romagna.
—JSTOR Daily, 16 Oct. 2025
Leo chose his name in reference to the last Pope Leo XIII, who led the church from 1878 to 1903, one of the longest papal reigns, and is known for marshaling the church into the modern world.
—Connor Greene, Time, 15 Oct. 2025
Highlights include a papal ring, a cassock and a Swiss Guard uniform from the time of Pope Pius X (1903-1914), so rare that the Guard reportedly asked to borrow it for its own exhibit.
—Molly Guthrey, Twin Cities, 14 Oct. 2025
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Fulvio De Bonis, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2025
That later became the foundational precedent for centuries of papal claims to secular authority over the papal states of the Romagna.
—JSTOR Daily, 16 Oct. 2025
Leo chose his name in reference to the last Pope Leo XIII, who led the church from 1878 to 1903, one of the longest papal reigns, and is known for marshaling the church into the modern world.
—Connor Greene, Time, 15 Oct. 2025
Highlights include a papal ring, a cassock and a Swiss Guard uniform from the time of Pope Pius X (1903-1914), so rare that the Guard reportedly asked to borrow it for its own exhibit.
—Molly Guthrey, Twin Cities, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for papal
Cite this Entry
“Papal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/papal. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
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