pontiff

noun

pon·​tiff ˈpän-təf 

1

: pontifex

2

: bishop

specifically, often capitalized : pope sense 1

Examples of pontiff in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The comments marked the pope’s first public acknowledgement of the unraveling situation in Haiti, where some of his ancestors were from, since the U.S.-born pontiff became the Catholic Church’s first American pope in May following the death of Pope Francis in April. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 11 Aug. 2025

The future pontiff lived in the house full time until going off to a Michigan seminary for high school in 1969. —Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 15 July 2025

Gates, 74, confirmed that the first American pontiff is related to Madonna, Angelina Jolie, Justin Bieber, Pierre and Justin Trudeau, Hilary Clinton, and Jack Kerouac, which was previously reported by The New York Times. —Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 11 July 2025

While the pontiff represents Roman Catholics globally, the office's historic significance and influence in world affairs continue to this day, and Pope Francis was vocal on topics such as welcoming immigrants, curbing climate change and creating a more inclusive church. —David Plazas, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

French pontif, from Latin pontific-, pontifex

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

pontiff

noun

pon·​tiff ˈpänt-əf 

: bishop sense 1

especially, often capitalized : pope

pontifical

pän-ˈtif-i-kəl

adjective