pontiff

Meaning

1. (Ancient-Rome, historical) A member of the most illustrious of the colleges of priests of the Roman religion, the College of Pontiffs; a pontifex.
2. A bishop of the early Church; now specifically, the Pope.
3. (figuratively) Any chief figure or leader of a religion.

Synonyms

pope

Bishop of Rome

bishop

Holy Father

chief priest

Catholic Pope

Vicar of Christ

Roman Catholic Pope

member of higher orders of clergy

prelate

high priest

Imam

cardinal

Pope

reverend

Theodore

the episcopacy

the episcopate

bishopric

Sovereign Pontiff

diocese

father

👨‍👦

pontifex

clergyman

priest

rochet

Translations

pontefice

pontífice

pontífice

pontife

Pontifex

papa

pape

piskopos

Hohepriester

πάπας

Papst

Saint-Père

souverain pontife

hogepriester

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈpɒntɪf/

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French pontife m, from Latin pontifex m. Doublet of pontifex.