Papal States

proper noun

A country in southern Europe that existed until 1870, comprising the territories of Italy (and some enclaves in France) over which the pope was the ruler in a civil as well as a spiritual sense.

Similar
States of the ChurchPontifical StatesEcclesiastical State
OriginItalian Stati Pontifici →
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Meanings

proper nounthe Papal States pl (normally plural, singular Papal State)

singular Papal State

  1. historicalplural normallyA country in southern Europe that existed until 1870, comprising the territories of Italy (and some enclaves in France) over which the pope was the ruler in a civil as well as a spiritual sense.

    Synonyms: States of the Church, Pontifical States, Ecclesiastical State

Synonyms & antonyms

proper nounA country in southern Europe that existed until 1870, comprising the territories of Italy (and some enclaves in France) over which the pope was the ruler in a civil as well as a spiritual sense.

Similar
States of the ChurchPontifical StatesEcclesiastical State

Origin

  1. ItalianStati Pontifici
  2. EnglishPapal States

On the model of Italian Stati Pontifici, plural of Stato Pontificio; compare the dated direct calque Pontifical States. The plural is typical in English and reflects the Papal States’ highly regionalised administration, but in various European languages, including contemporary Italian, the singular is more common.

More words from Italian

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic دَوْلَة الْكَنِيسَة, الدَّوْلَة الْبَابَوِيَّة
  • دَوْلَة الْكَنِيسَةstate
  • الدَّوْلَة الْبَابَوِيَّةstate
Catalan Estats Pontificis
  • Estats Pontificisstate
Chinese Mandarin 教宗國 /教宗国, 教皇國 /教皇国
  • 教宗國 /教宗国 (Jiàozōngguó)state
  • 教皇國 /教皇国 (Jiàohuángguó)state
Danish Kirkestaten, Pavestaten
  • Kirkestatenstate
  • Pavestatenstate
Finnish Kirkkovaltio
  • Kirkkovaltiostate
French États pontificaux, États du Pape
  • États pontificauxstate
  • États du Papestate
German Kirchenstaat
  • Kirchenstaatstate
Hungarian Pápai Állam, Egyházi Állam
  • Pápai Államstate
  • Egyházi Államstate
Indonesian Negara Kepausan
  • Negara Kepausanstate
Irish Stáit an Phápa
  • Stáit an Phápastate
Italian Stato Pontificio, Stato della Chiesa
  • Stato Pontificiostate
  • Stato della Chiesastate
Japanese 教皇領
  • 教皇領 (Kyōkōryō)state
Korean 교황령
  • 교황령 (gyohwangnyeong)state
Latin Status Pontificius, Status Ecclēsiasticus
  • Status Pontificiusstate
  • Status Ecclēsiasticusstate
  • Patrimōnium Petrīstate
  • rēspūblica Sanctī Petrīstate
Lithuanian Popiežiaus Sritis
  • Popiežiaus Sritisstate
Polish Państwo Kościelne
  • Państwo Kościelnestate
Portuguese Estados Papais
  • Estados Papaisstate
Russian Па́пское госуда́рство, Церко́вное госуда́рство
  • Па́пское госуда́рство (Pápskoje gosudárstvo)state
  • Церко́вное госуда́рство (Cerkóvnoje gosudárstvo)state
  • Па́пская о́бласть (Pápskaja óblastʹ)state
  • па́пские владе́ния (pápskije vladénija)state
Spanish Estados Pontificios
  • Estados Pontificiosstate
Vietnamese Lãnh địa Giáo hoàng
  • Lãnh địa Giáo hoàngstate
Welsh Taleithiau'r Babaeth
  • Taleithiau'r Babaethstate
Cite this entry
APA

Papal States. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Papal%20States

MLA

“Papal States.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Papal%20States. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Papal States,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Papal%20States.

Source: Papal States on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.