Main Entry:

²pon·tif·i·cate

Pronunciation:

\pän-ˈti-fə-ˌkāt\

Function:

intransitive verb

Inflected Form(s):

pon·tif·i·cat·ed; pon·tif·i·cat·ing

Etymology:

Medieval Latin pontificatus, past participle of pontificare, from Latin pontific-, pontifex

Date:

1818

1 a: to officiate as a pontiff b: to celebrate pontifical mass2: to speak or express opinions in a pompous or dogmatic way

— pon·tif·i·ca·tion \(ˌ)pän-ˌti-fə-ˈkā-shən\ noun

— pon·tif·i·ca·tor \-ˌkā-tər\ noun