Meanings
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA type of document or edict from the Pope.
More synonyms by meaning
nouna formal proclamation issued by the pope (usually written in antiquated characters and sealed with a leaden bulla)
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinbulla“bubble”
- Medieval Latinbulla“a round seal”
- Old Frenchbulle
- Middle Englishbulle
- Englishpapal bull
From Middle English bulle, from Old French bulle, from Medieval Latin bulla (“a round seal”), from Latin bulla (“bubble”).
More words from Middle English, Old French, Medieval Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan butlla papal
- butlla papalofficial document or edict from the Pope
Finnish paavin bulla
- paavin bullaofficial document or edict from the Pope
French bulle papale
- bulle papaleofficial document or edict from the Pope
German päpstliche Bulle
- päpstliche Bulleofficial document or edict from the Pope
Polish bulla, bulla papieska
- bullaofficial document or edict from the Pope
- bulla papieskaofficial document or edict from the Pope
Romanian bulă papală
- bulă papalăofficial document or edict from the Pope
Tagalog bula ng Papa
- bula ng Papaofficial document or edict from the Pope
Vietnamese tông sắc
- tông sắcofficial document or edict from the Pope
Cite this entry
papal bull. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/papal%20bull
“papal bull.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/papal%20bull. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “papal bull,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/papal%20bull.
Source: papal bull on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.