pope

noun

ˈpōp How to pronounce pope (audio)
Synonyms of popenext
1
often Pope : a prelate who as bishop of Rome is the head of the Roman Catholic Church
2
: one that resembles a pope (as in authority)
3
a
: the Eastern Orthodox or Coptic patriarch of Alexandria
b
: a priest of an Eastern church

Examples of pope in a Sentence

The cardinals elected a new pope.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The pope graduated from Villanova with a degree in mathematics in 1977. — ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026 The Vatican press office said the pope’s recovery continues to progress in line with favorable assessments from his medical team. — Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026 Skerritt co-starred opposite Kathy Baker, playing his doctor wife in the community of Rome, Wisconsin, a place with bizarre happenings, like having a robber leaving a trail of frogs or the pope becoming the primary witness to a murder. — CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 The pope’s diagnosis and surgery left his upcoming trip to South America up in the air. — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pope

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English pāpa, from Late Latin papa, from Greek pappas, papas, title of bishops, literally, papa

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pope was before the 12th century

Rhymes for pope

See All Rhymes for pope

Browse Nearby Words

popdock
pope
Pope
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pope. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

pope

noun
ˈpōp How to pronounce pope (audio)
often capitalized
: the head of the Roman Catholic Church

Biographical Definition

Pope 1 of 2

biographical name (1)

ˈpōp How to pronounce Pope (audio)
Alexander 1688–1744 English poet
Popian
ˈpō-pē-ən How to pronounce Pope (audio)
adjective
or less commonly Popean

Pope

2 of 2

biographical name (2)

John 1822–1892 American general

More from Merriam-Webster on pope

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for pope

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pope

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