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
On May 18, Pope Leo XIV — born Robert Prevost of Chicago — marked the official start of his papacy with an inauguration Mass at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, drawing royalty from around the world for the historic celebration.
—
Janine Henni, People.com, 19 May 2025
The late Pope Francis made immigrants and the poor a central focus of his papacy.
—Ruth Sherlock, NPR, 19 May 2025
And this could be something that shapes his papacy going forward.
—ABC News, 18 May 2025
The new pope is expected to be presented with the official symbols of his papacy.
—Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for papacy
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Janine Henni, People.com, 19 May 2025
The late Pope Francis made immigrants and the poor a central focus of his papacy.
—Ruth Sherlock, NPR, 19 May 2025
And this could be something that shapes his papacy going forward.
—ABC News, 18 May 2025
The new pope is expected to be presented with the official symbols of his papacy.
—Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for papacy
Cite this Entry
“Papacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/papacy. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
papacy
noun
pa·pa·cy
ˈpā-pə-sē 
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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