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.
Because an employee is not eligible for unemployment benefits if he was fired for misconduct, a state doesn’t want to have to consult papal doctrine, for example, to determine if a priest was legitimately terminated. Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025 His discharge comes after 38 days of medical ups and downs that raised the prospect of a papal resignation or funeral. Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 23 Mar. 2025 The crowd wasn't a papal audience or political protest, but rather an inauguration of sorts for a new national icon. Olivia Hicks, NPR, 15 Mar. 2025 James Mangold’s Timothée Chalamet–led Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown and papal thriller Conclave were close behind with eight mentions each. Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 3 Mar. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Papal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/papal. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.

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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