vatican

n. countable

B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈvætɪkən// vat·i·can

Definition

n. the small, independent city-state in Rome where the Pope lives and works. It is the center of the Roman Catholic Church.

n. the independent city-state enclaved within Rome that serves as the ecclesiastical and administrative headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. Often functions as a metonym for the papacy or the central government of the Church.

SIMPLE

Thousands of people gather at the Vatican to see the Pope.

CONTEXTUAL

The Vatican issued a formal statement regarding the new international treaty on climate change.

COMPLEX

Scholars from around the world visit the Vatican Secret Archives to study centuries of historical documents and diplomatic correspondence.

Origin

Learned borrowing from Latin Vātī̆cānus (“Vatican Hill”), further etymology unknown. The connection to vāticinārī (“to prophesy, oracle”) is folk-etymological.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Usage

Usually preceded by the definite article 'the' when referring to the state or the institution.

Last updated May 2, 2026