Pontiff
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /ˈpɒntɪf/ · Part of speech noun
Quick meaning: Pontiff is a noun meaning A bishop of the early Church; now specifically, the Pope.
Meaning
A bishop of the early Church; now specifically, the Pope.
More Meanings
- (figuratively) Any chief figure or leader of a religion.
- (historical, Ancient Rome) A member of the most illustrious of the colleges of priests of the Roman religion, the College of Pontiffs; a pontifex.
Example Sentences
In several respects John turned out to be an unexpected figure as supreme pontiff.
Word Forms
- pontiffs
Synonyms for pontiff
Depending on context, synonyms include pope.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include pope, papal, rabbi, papa, ink, baba.
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.