papal

adjective

pa·​pal ˈpā-pəl How to pronounce papal (audio)
: of or relating to a pope or to the Roman Catholic Church
also : resembling a pope or that of a pope
papally adverb

Examples of papal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
It’s based on the true story of a Jewish child in 1850s Italy who was secretly baptized by a chambermaid and then abducted by the papal police and raised Catholic. Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Dec. 2024 Francis isn’t about to let a storm get in the way of him and his papal duties. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 5 Dec. 2024 Set in the halls of the Vatican against the backdrop of a papal conclave, the film stars Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence, a man of faith tormented by personal doubts, and delves inside the secretive power struggles within the Church. Robert Lang, Deadline, 4 Dec. 2024 Pope Francis has made significant changes to the funeral rites that will be observed upon his death, streamlining the rituals to reflect his role as a bishop rather than focusing on his papal status. Matt Robison, Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for papal 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin papalis, from Late Latin papa

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of papal was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near papal

Cite this Entry

“Papal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/papal. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

papal

adjective
pa·​pal ˈpā-pəl How to pronounce papal (audio)
: of or relating to the pope or the papacy
papally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on papal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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