# papacy

/ˈpeɪpəsi/ (US) · /pˈæpəsi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/papacy
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. the office or position

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the position or authority of the Pope.

For teachers: the office or dignity of the Pope as the supreme head of the Roman Catholic Church.

- The papacy has a long history that goes back hundreds of years.
- Historians often debate the extent to which the medieval papacy influenced the political landscape of Europe.

Usage: Often used with the definite article 'the'.

### 2. a specific pope's reign

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the period of time that a particular person serves as Pope.

For teachers: the period during which a specific pope is in office.

- Many changes happened during the papacy of John Paul II.
- The short papacy of John Paul I lasted only thirty-three days before his sudden death in 1978.

### 3. the institution

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the system of government of the Roman Catholic Church led by the Pope.

For teachers: the system of ecclesiastical government in which the Pope is recognized as the supreme head.

- The papacy is based in Vatican City in Rome.
- Diplomatic relations between the papacy and various secular governments have evolved significantly over the last century.

## Examples

- The papacy has a long and complex history.
- During his papacy, the leader focused on modernising the church's approach to social media and global communication.
- Historians often examine the medieval papacy to understand how religious authority and political power intersected across the European continent during the Middle Ages.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.