name
Vatican
VA-tih-kuhn
name
1
The independent city-state in Rome that serves as the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church and residence of the Pope.
"Tourists lined up for hours to see the Sistine Chapel inside the Vatican."
2
The papacy and Catholic Church administration as an institution, rather than the physical place.
"The Vatican issued a statement clarifying its position on the matter."
adj
1
Relating to the Vatican or its government.
"Vatican officials met with the visiting delegation."
How to Use Vatican
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe Pope's city-state and church headquarters in Rome, or the church authority itself.
Common pairings
the Vatican said
Vatican City
Vatican officials
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “Vatican”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Tourists lined up for hours to see the Sistine Chapel inside the _____.
Etymology
From Latin Vaticanus, the name of one of Rome's seven hills, where the Vatican was later built. The exact origin of the hill's name is unknown, though it was later folk-linked to a Latin verb for prophesying.