noun
pontiff
PON-tihf
noun
1
The Pope, as head of the Roman Catholic Church.
"The pontiff addressed crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square."
2
More broadly, the chief leader or highest priest of any religion.
"The ancient city had its own pontiff overseeing temple rites."
How to Use Pontiff
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA formal word for the Pope, or any supreme religious leader.
Common pairings
the Roman pontiff
address by the pontiff
Word Forms
pontiffs plural, Pontiffs plural
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Etymology
From Middle French pontife, from Latin pontifex, originally a member of Rome's chief college of priests.