Vatican

noun

Vat·​i·​can ˈva-ti-kən 

1

: the papal headquarters in Rome

2

: the papal government

Vatican adjective

Examples of Vatican in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Monegasque royals are regular visitors to Vatican City, and Prince Albert's wife Charlene has worn both white and black for past papal audiences. —Janine Henni, People.com, 10 Apr. 2025

Pope Francis surprised a St. Peter's Square, Vatican, congregation by appearing in a wheelchair toward the end of a mass for the sick and health care workers. —Rebecca Falconer, Axios, 6 Apr. 2025

Crowds of worshippers gathered at Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square on Sunday when the pope made his short appearance after a mass dedicated to the sick. —Antonia Mortensen, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2025

Francis said to those who had come for the St. Peter’s Square mass Sunday morning, according to Vatican News. —Tara Suter, The Hill, 6 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin (mons) Vāticānus, hill on the west bank of the Tiber, the traditional site of the apostle Peter's tomb, on which a basilica was built in the 4th century

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing Vatican

• the Vatican