Adjacent Words

Pontificate definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PONTIF'ICATE, n. [L. pontificatus.] The state or dignity of a high priest; particularly, the office or dignity of the pope.
He turned hermit in the view of being advanced to the pontificate.
1. The reign of a pope.
Painting, sculpture and architecture may all recover themselves under the present pontificate.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the government of the Roman Catholic Church [syn: papacy, pontificate] v
1: administer a pontifical office
2: talk in a dogmatic and pompous manner; "The new professor always pontificates"

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Latin pontificatus, from pontific-, pontifex Date: 15th century the state, office, or term of office of a pontiff II. intransitive verb (-cated; -cating) Etymology: Medieval Latin pontificatus, past participle of pontificare, from Latin pontific-, pontifex Date: 1818 1. a. to officiate as a pontiff b. to celebrate pontifical mass 2. to speak or express opinions in a pompous or dogmatic way • pontification noun • pontificator noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. & n. --v.intr. 1 a play the pontiff; pretend to be infallible. b be pompously dogmatic. 2 RC Ch. officiate as bishop, esp. at mass. --n. 1 the office of pontifex, bishop, or pope. 2 the period of this. Etymology: L pontificatus (as PONTIFEX)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Pontificate Pon*tif"i*cate, n. [L. pontificatus: cf. F. pontificat. See Pontiff.] 1. The state or dignity of a high priest; specifically, the office of the pope. --Addison. 2. The term of office of a pontiff. --Milman.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Pontificate Pon*tif"i*cate, v. i. (R. C. Ch.) To perform the duty of a pontiff.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(pontificated) 1. If someone pontificates about something, they state their opinions as if they are the only correct ones and nobody could possibly argue against them. (FORMAL) Politicians like to pontificate about falling standards. VERB: V about/on n, also V 2. The pontificate of a pope is the period of time during which he is pope. Pope Formosus died after a pontificate of four and a half years. N-COUNT

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Popedom, papacy.

Moby Thesaurus

Apostolic See, Barnumize, See of Rome, aedileship, archbishopric, archiepiscopacy, archiepiscopate, aristocracy, bishopric, blow, bombast, chairmanship, chancellery, chancellorate, chancellorship, chiefery, chiefry, chieftaincy, chieftainry, chieftainship, cock, consulate, consulship, deanery, dictatorship, dictature, directorship, dogmatize, emirate, episcopacy, governorship, headship, hegemony, hierarchy, inflate, lay it on, leadership, look big, lordship, magistracy, magistrateship, magistrature, masterdom, mastership, mastery, mayoralty, mayorship, metropolitanate, metropolitanship, nobility, oracle, oraculate, papacy, papality, pashadom, pashalic, patriarchate, patriarchy, peacock, pile it on, pontificality, popedom, popehood, popeship, prefectship, prefecture, premiership, presidency, presidentship, prime-ministership, prime-ministry, princedom, princeship, principality, proclaim, proconsulate, proconsulship, protectorate, protectorship, provostry, provostship, put on, put on airs, put on side, rectorate, rectorship, regency, regentship, ritz it, ruling class, seigniory, seneschalship, seneschalsy, sheikhdom, sheriffalty, sheriffcy, sheriffdom, shrievalty, supervisorship, suzerainship, suzerainty, swagger, swank, swell, swell it, talk big, talk highfalutin, the Vatican, tribunate, vapor, vizierate, viziership