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
But there has been a marked increase in the percentage of women working in the Vatican during his papacy, including in leadership positions, from 19.3% in 2013 to 23.4% today, according to statistics reported by Vatican News.
—
Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2025
But Benedict quelled the noise by showing, for the first time in his papacy, the same deft touch that his predecessor had possessed in abundance.
—Victor Gaetan, Foreign Affairs, 3 Apr. 2013
During Francis' papacy, the percentage of women employed in the Vatican has increased from 19.3 percent in 2013 to 23.4 percent in 2023.
—Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 6 Jan. 2025
The Kremlin deposed Gierek in 1980, but that visit became a seminal moment in John Paul’s papacy and his efforts to break the Soviet Union.
—Bill Barrow, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2025
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Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2025
But Benedict quelled the noise by showing, for the first time in his papacy, the same deft touch that his predecessor had possessed in abundance.
—Victor Gaetan, Foreign Affairs, 3 Apr. 2013
During Francis' papacy, the percentage of women employed in the Vatican has increased from 19.3 percent in 2013 to 23.4 percent in 2023.
—Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 6 Jan. 2025
The Kremlin deposed Gierek in 1980, but that visit became a seminal moment in John Paul’s papacy and his efforts to break the Soviet Union.
—Bill Barrow, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for papacy
Dictionary Entries Near papacy
Cite this Entry
“Papacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/papacy. Accessed 24 Jan. 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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