papacy

noun

pa·​pa·​cy ˈpā-pə-sē 

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

The Pope spent 38 days in Rome’s Gemelli hospital, the longest such stay of his papacy. —Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 6 Apr. 2025

Now, the attention in the Vatican is on how the 88-year-old pontiff will lead the Catholic Church following what has been the worst health crisis of his papacy. —Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2025

Francis was admitted to Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14 with a severe respiratory infection, the most serious health crisis of his 12-year papacy. —Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 23 Mar. 2025

Jorge Mario Bergoglio was the first ever Latin American pope, and the first since the Syrian Gregory III (whose papacy lasted from 731 to 741) to be of non-European extraction. —Federico Perelmuter, The Dial, 13 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English papacie, from Medieval Latin papatia, from Late Latin papa pope — more at pope

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing papacy

• the papacy

Kids 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