pontificate

²pon·tif·i·cate

verb \pän-ˈti-fə-ˌkāt\

pon·tif·i·cat·edpon·tif·i·cat·ing

Definition of PONTIFICATE

intransitive verb

1

a : to officiate as a pontiff b : to celebrate pontifical mass

2

: 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

Examples of PONTIFICATE

1. We had to listen to her pontificate about the best way to raise children.

Origin of PONTIFICATE

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

First Known Use: 1818

Other Christian Religious Terms

Pentateuch, blasphemy, curate, doxology, eremite, iconoclasm, liturgy, orison, pneuma, reliquary