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pope

1 American  
[pohp] / poʊp /

noun

  1. (often initial capital letter) the bishop of Rome as head of the Roman Catholic Church.

  2. (in the early Christian church) a bishop.

  3. a person considered as having or assuming authority or a position similar to that of the Roman Catholic pope.

  4. the title of the Coptic patriarch of Alexandria.

  5. Eastern Church.

    1. the Orthodox patriarch of Alexandria.

    2. (in certain churches) a parish priest.

Pope 2 American  
[pohp] / poʊp /

noun

  1. Alexander, 1688–1744, English poet.

  2. John, 1822–92, Union general in the U.S. Civil War.

  3. John Russell, 1874–1937, U.S. architect.

Popé 3 American  
[poh-pey] / poʊˈpeɪ /

noun

  1. died 1690?, Pueblo medicine man: led rebellion against the Spanish 1680.

pope 1 British  
/ pəʊp /

noun

  1. another name for ruffe

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Pope 2 British  
/ pəʊp /

noun

  1. Alexander. 1688–1744, English poet, regarded as the most brilliant satirist of the Augustan period, esp with his Imitations of Horace (1733–38). His technical virtuosity is most evident in The Rape of the Lock (1712–14). Other works include The Dunciad (1728; 1742), the Moral Essays (1731–35), and An Essay on Man (1733–34)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
pope 3 British  
/ pəʊp /

noun

  1. (often capital) the bishop of Rome as head of the Roman Catholic Church

  2. Eastern Orthodox Church

    1. a title sometimes given to a parish priest

    2. a title sometimes given to the Greek Orthodox patriarch of Alexandria

  3. a person assuming or having a status or authority resembling that of a pope

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
pope Cultural  

  1. The head of the Roman Catholic Church. The pope is believed by his church to be the successor to the Apostle Peter. He is bishop of Rome and lives in a tiny nation within Rome called the Vatican. Catholics believe that when the pope speaks officially on matters of faith and morals, he speaks infallibly (see papal infallibility). (See also John XXIII and John Paul II.)

Other Word Forms

  • popeless adjective
  • popelike adjective

Etymology

Origin of pope

before 900; Middle English; Old English pāpa < Late Latin: bishop, pope < Late Greek pápas bishop, priest, variant of páppas father; papa

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The escalating war, however, received increased condemnation and concern from across the globe Sunday, including from the pope, who said he had “deep concern” for the escalating violence in Iran and the Middle East.

From Los Angeles Times

"This dream of a pope visiting Algeria... has come true!"

From Barron's

This is the first time that a pope will visit Algeria, whose population is mostly Muslim.

From BBC

Pope Leo XIV will visit four African nations in April, the Vatican said Thursday, including Algeria -- the first time a pope will travel to the North African Muslim nation.

From Barron's

Its revival is also a tribute to late pope Francis who took on the saint's name.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.