pontiff
n. countablen. a high-ranking church leader, especially the Pope. It is an old-fashioned word for someone who has a lot of religious power.
n. a high-ranking ecclesiastical official, specifically the Pope. Often used in historical or formal contexts to refer to the Bishop of Rome.
The pontiff spoke to the crowd in the square.
The local bishop traveled to Rome to meet with the pontiff and discuss the new church regulations.
Throughout the late medieval period, the pontiff held significant political influence over the various kingdoms of Europe, often acting as a mediator in territorial disputes.
Borrowed from Middle French pontife m, from Latin pontifex m. Doublet of pontifex.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated May 25, 2026