Meanings
nounpapacy (countable and uncountable, plural papacies)
plural papacies
- countableuncountableusuallyThe office of the pope of Rome, who is the head of the Roman Catholic Church.
The Vatican defends the primacy of the papacy.
- countablederogatoryoftenuncountableRoman Catholicism generally: synonym of popery.
Synonyms & antonyms
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinpāpa“pope”
- Medieval Latinpāpātia
- Middle Englishpapacie
- Englishpapacy
Circa 14th century, from Middle English papacie, papassie, from Medieval Latin pāpātia, from Latin pāpa (“pope”) + -tia (“office, rank”) (English -cy).
More words from Middle English, Medieval Latin, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan papat, pontificat
- papatthe period
- pontificatthe period
- papatthe office
- pontificatthe office
Danish pavedømme
- pavedømmethe office
Dutch pausdom, pontificaat
- pausdomthe period
- pontificaatthe period
- pausdomthe office
- pontificaatthe office
Finnish paavikausi, paavius
- paavikausithe period
- paaviusthe office
French papauté
- papautéthe office
German Pontifikat, Papstamt
- Pontifikatthe period
- Papstamtthe office
Greek παπισμός
- παπισμός (papismós)the office
Hungarian pápaság, pápaság
- pápaságthe period
- pápaságthe office
Italian pontificato, papato
- pontificatothe period
- papatothe office
Latin pāpātia
- pāpātiathe office
Māori popitanga, popitanga
- popitangathe period
- popitangathe office
Norwegian pavedømme
- pavedømmethe office
Polish pontyfikat, papiestwo
- pontyfikatthe period
- papiestwothe office
- tiarathe office
- tron Piotrowythe office
Portuguese papado, papado
- papadothe period
- papadothe office
Russian па́пство, па́пство
- па́пство (pápstvo)the period
- па́пство (pápstvo)the office
Spanish papado, papado
- papadothe period
- papadothe office
Swedish påvedöme
- påvedömethe office
Cite this entry
APA
papacy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/papacy
MLA
“papacy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/papacy. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “papacy,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/papacy.
Source: papacy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.