# pope

/ˈpoʊp/ (US) · /pˈəʊp/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pope
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. head of the Catholic Church

noun · CEFR A2

the leader of the Roman Catholic Church and the head of the Vatican.

For teachers: the Bishop of Rome as the spiritual head of the Roman Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State.

- Thousands of people gathered in the square to hear the Pope speak.
- The election of a new Pope is conducted by the College of Cardinals during a closed meeting known as a conclave.

### 2. other church leaders

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a title used for the leaders of the Coptic or Orthodox churches in Alexandria.

For teachers: the formal title held by the Coptic Bishop of Alexandria and the Orthodox Bishop of Alexandria.

- The Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church visited the new cathedral.
- Ecclesiastical history records that the title of Pope was used in Alexandria before it became the exclusive designation for the Bishop of Rome.

### 3. cooking ingredient

noun · CEFR C2 · Informal · American English · Dialect

a name for garlic when it is added to the 'holy trinity' of onions, peppers, and celery.

For teachers: a colloquial term for garlic when used as a fourth foundational ingredient alongside the Cajun 'holy trinity'.

- To make this stew authentic, you need to add the pope to the vegetables.
- In Louisiana Creole cuisine, adding 'the pope' to the aromatic base of celery, onions, and bell peppers provides a deeper flavour profile to the gumbo.

### 4. a type of fish

noun · CEFR C2 · British English · Dialect

another name for a small freshwater fish called a ruffe.

For teachers: a regional name for the ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernua), a small freshwater fish common in Eurasia.

- The fisherman caught a small pope in the river this afternoon.
- While angling for perch, he inadvertently landed a pope, a species often considered a nuisance by local competitive fishermen.

### 5. Atlantic puffin

noun · CEFR C2 · British English · Dialect

a local name for the puffin, a sea bird with a colourful beak.

For teachers: a regional or dialectal name for the Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica).

- We saw a pope sitting on the cliffs during our walk in Scotland.
- The coastal villagers referred to the nesting puffins as popes, likely due to the bird's black-and-white plumage resembling clerical attire.

### 6. to convert to Catholicism

verb · CEFR C2 · Informal · Humorous

to become a member of the Roman Catholic Church.

For teachers: to convert to Roman Catholicism; often used in the phrase 'to pope'.

- After years of study, he decided to pope last Easter.
- His friends were surprised when he decided to pope, given his long history of secular activism and vocal skepticism toward organized religion.

## Examples

- The Pope gave a speech to the crowd in the square.
- Thousands of people gathered in front of the cathedral to catch a glimpse of the Pope during his visit.
- The election of a new Pope is conducted by the College of Cardinals through a secret ballot process known as a conclave, held within the Sistine Chapel.

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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.