plural papacies
1
: the office of pope
2
: a succession or line of popes
3
: the term of a pope's reign
4
capitalized
: the system of government of the Roman Catholic Church of which the pope is the supreme head
Examples of papacy in a Sentence
He was selected by the cardinals for the papacy.
Recent Examples on the Web
Despite the Vatican’s lack of regulatory power, Pope Leo XIV is increasingly advocating for ethical AI oversight on the part of governments and companies, just a month into his papacy.
—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 20 June 2025
Read Next National What do Americans think of Pope Leo XIV a month into his papacy?
—Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 17 June 2025
Leo will wear that ring, which celebrates Saint Peter, who was the first pope, throughout his papacy.
—Kevin Shalvey, ABC News, 18 May 2025
Now Sánchez is elated to attend Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, marking the official start of his papacy.
—Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for papacy
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Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 20 June 2025
Read Next National What do Americans think of Pope Leo XIV a month into his papacy?
—Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 17 June 2025
Leo will wear that ring, which celebrates Saint Peter, who was the first pope, throughout his papacy.
—Kevin Shalvey, ABC News, 18 May 2025
Now Sánchez is elated to attend Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, marking the official start of his papacy.
—Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for papacy
Cite this Entry
“Papacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/papacy. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
papacy
noun
pa·pa·cy
ˈpā-pə-sē 
plural papacies
1
: the office of pope
2
: the term of a pope's reign
3
capitalized
: the government of the Roman Catholic Church of which the pope is the head
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