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
His election, at the age of 69, shows the cardinals want a pope to institutionalize those reforms in a papacy that could last several decades.
—
Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 11 May 2025
Some historians have suggested that the medieval papacy pioneered the concept of ambassadors, said Ben Wiedemann, lecturer at Cambridge University who specializes in the political role of the medieval papacy.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 May 2025
Leo’s papacy also comes at a time of tension between the Vatican and the Trump administration.
—Mariel Padilla, Them., 8 May 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for papacy
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Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 11 May 2025
Some historians have suggested that the medieval papacy pioneered the concept of ambassadors, said Ben Wiedemann, lecturer at Cambridge University who specializes in the political role of the medieval papacy.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 May 2025
Leo’s papacy also comes at a time of tension between the Vatican and the Trump administration.
—Mariel Padilla, Them., 8 May 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for papacy
Cite this Entry
“Papacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/papacy. Accessed 4 Jun. 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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