papacy

noun pa·pa·cy \ ˈpā-pə-sē \

|Updated on: 15 Jun 2018

Examples: papacy in a Sentence

Definition of papacy

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

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Examples of papacy in a Sentence

He was selected by the cardinals for the papacy.

Recent Examples of papacy from the Web

The Pope has made climate change a cornerstone of his papacy, saying in an encyclical letter that the science around the topic is clear and that the Catholic Church should view it as a moral issue.

— Fortune, "Pope Francis Will Meet With Oil Company CEOs to Discuss Climate Change," 1 June 2018
Five years into his papacy, Francis’ radical reprioritization on the world’s poor has imbued much of the Vatican.

— jason horowitz, New York Times, "As Ireland Joins Europe’s Sprint From Catholic Fold, Francis Looks South," 27 May 2018
Francis has made the hardships facing migrants the world over a key focus of his papacy.

— deutsche welle, USA TODAY, "Pope Francis highlights plight of refugees in 2018 New Year's address," 1 Jan. 2018
Rihanna went full Catholic and aimed straight for the top of the papacy, in her incredibly-heavy-looking beaded Pope-glam getup.

— sable yong, Allure, "Dear Pope Rihanna, Please Hear Our Pleas and Bless the Allure Staff With Your Grace," 7 May 2018
Its embroidery was inspired by stained glass windows and monastic art, while the robe itself was inspired by the papacy.

— mikelle street, GQ, "Luka Sabbat's Met Gala 2018 Outfit Is the Fanciest Bathrobe You'll Ever See," 7 May 2018
Only a month into his papacy, Pope Francis called for swift action against Catholic officials accused of abuse.

— refinery29.com, "Has Catholicism Earned This "Fashion" Moment?," 3 May 2018
Francis’s strong defense of a bishop now at the heart of Chile’s scandal has been one of the worst blunders of his papacy, calling into question his commitment to fighting abuse and coverups.

— nicole winfield, BostonGlobe.com, "From pariah to VIP: Whistle-blower in Chile’s sex-abuse scandal awaits audience with pope," 24 Apr. 2018
Franco Origlia/Getty Images Five years into his papacy, Pope Francis is a polarizing figure.

— tara isabella burton, Vox, "The conservative case against Pope Francis — and why it matters," 5 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'papacy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of papacy

Middle English papacie, from Medieval Latin papatia, from Late Latin papa pope — more at pope

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Other Christian Religious Terms

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

PAPACY Defined for English Language Learners

papacy

noun

Definition of papacy for English Language Learners

the papacy : the office or position of the pope
: the time when a particular pope is in power

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papacy

Definition of papacy

Examples of papacy in a Sentence

Recent Examples of papacy from the Web

Origin and Etymology of papacy

Other Christian Religious Terms

PAPACY Defined for English Language Learners

papacy

Definition of papacy for English Language Learners

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