papal

adjective

pa·​pal ˈpā-pəl 

: of or relating to a pope or to the Roman Catholic Church

also : resembling a pope or that of a pope

papally

ˈpā-pə-lē 

adverb

Examples of papal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The last few weeks have shown his governing style and a remarkable run of papal decision-making where Leo has set the agenda, rather than merely fulfill the appointments set by his predecessor. — Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026

Leo is spending the rest of July at the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo, the Vatican’s historic summer residence south of Rome that the American pope has turned into his weekly getaway for tennis and swimming. — Nicole Winfield, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026

Some attendees, though, expressed more trepidation about the consecration of new bishops without papal approval. — Noah Labelle, NPR, 2 July 2026

Under the church’s in-house canon law, consecrating a bishop without papal consent incurs an automatic excommunication for both the people administering the consecration and the bishops receiving it. — ABC News, 1 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin papalis, from Late Latin papa

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing papal

• anti-papal
• papal cross
• papal decree
• papal infallibility

Rhymes for papal

• maple
• staple

Kids Definition

papal

adjective

pa·​pal ˈpā-pəl 

: of or relating to the pope or the papacy

papally

-pə-lē 

adverb