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papacy

[pey-puh-see]

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noun, plural pa·pa·cies. Roman Catholic Church.

the office, dignity, or jurisdiction of the pope.

the system of ecclesiastical government in which the pope is recognized as the supreme head.

the period during which a certain pope is in office.

the succession or line of the popes.

Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English papacie < Medieval Latin pāpātia. See pope, -acy

Related forms

an·ti·pa·pa·cy, adjective

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Papacy is always a great word to know.

So is quincunx. Does it mean:

an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.

an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.

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Example Sentences

Xenophobia is the preferred weapon against the adherents of the papacy.

But deflecting criticism has proved challenging for this papacy.

Continued silence by the papacy further wounds victims and confuses the rest of us.

Collins

World English Dictionary

papacy (ˈpeɪpəsɪ)

—n , pl -cies
1.	the office or term of office of a pope
2.	the system of government in the Roman Catholic Church that has the pope as its head

[C14: from Medieval Latin pāpātia, from pāpapope¹]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

papacy

1393, from M.L. papatia "papal office," from L.L. papa "pope" (see pope).

American Heritage

Cultural Dictionary