pope

noun

ˈpōp 

1

often capitalized : a prelate who as bishop of Rome is the head of the Roman Catholic Church

2

: one that resembles a pope (as in authority)

3

a

: the Eastern Orthodox or Coptic patriarch of Alexandria

b

: a priest of an Eastern church

Examples of pope in a Sentence

The cardinals elected a new pope.

Recent Examples on the Web

Pope Francis marked the 12th anniversary of when he was elected pope on Thursday from the hospital. —Jon Haworth, ABC News, 14 Mar. 2025

The pope has had increasingly positive medical updates four weeks into his hospitalization for double pneumonia. —Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025

The pope was first admitted to Gemelli Hospital on Feb. 14 after fighting a week-long bout of bronchitis that gradually worsened. —Andrea Margolis, Fox News, 10 Mar. 2025

In a late update, the doctors said the 88-year-old pope remains stable and has consolidated improvements in recent days, as determined by blood tests and positive responses to drug treatments. —Nicole Winfield, Twin Cities, 10 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English pāpa, from Late Latin papa, from Greek pappas, papas, title of bishops, literally, papa

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pope

• cope
• dope
• grope
• lope
• mope
• nope
• rope
• scope
• shope
• slope
• soap
• stope

Kids Definition

pope

noun

ˈpōp 

often capitalized

: the head of the Roman Catholic Church

Biographical Definition

Pope 1 of 2

biographical name (1)

ˈpōp 

Alexander 1688–1744 English poet

Popian adjective

or less commonly Popean

ˈpō-pē-ən 

Pope

2 of 2

biographical name (2)

John 1822–1892 American general