Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Relating to, characteristic of, or suitable for a pontiff.
  • adjective Pompously dogmatic or self-important; pretentious.
  • noun The vestments and insignia of a bishop.
  • noun A book of forms for ceremonies performed by a bishop.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Of or pertaining to bridge-building.
  • Of, belonging to, or befitting a pontiff or high priest.
  • Of or pertaining to a bishop.
  • Of or pertaining to the Pope of Rome; papal; popish.
  • noun In liturgics, an office-book of the Western Church, containing the forms for the sacraments and other rites and ceremonies which can be performed only by a bishop (especially those for ordination, confirmation, and consecration of churches), the changes in the rubrics necessary when a bishop officiates, benedictions, and other forms, some of which can be used by priests who have received special commission from the bishop.
  • noun plural The insignia of a pontiff; the dress, ornaments, etc., of a bishop or pope, or, more loosely, those of a priest. See pontificalia.
  • noun A kind of ouch in use in the sixteenth century.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Of or pertaining to a pontiff, or high priest; ; hence, belonging to the pope; papal.
  • adjective rare Of or pertaining to the building of bridges.
  • noun A book containing the offices, or formulas, used by a pontiff.
  • noun The dress and ornaments of a pontiff.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Of or pertaining to a pontiff.
  • adjective Pompous, dignified or dogmatic.
  • adjective Of or pertaining to the pontifices of Ancient Rome.
  • noun A book containing the offices, or formulas, used by a pontiff.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective proceeding from or ordered by or subject to a pope or the papacy regarded as the successor of the Apostles
  • adjective denoting or governed by or relating to a bishop or bishops
  • adjective puffed up with vanity
  • noun the vestments and other insignia of a pontiff (especially a bishop)

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin pontificālis, of a pontifex, from pontifex, pontific-, pontifex; see pontifex.]

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Examples

  • There are only three institutions with the title pontifical: (1) The Pontifical Seminary of Kandy, Ceylon; (2) The Pontifical Seminary of Scutari (Collegium

    The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 12: Philip II-Reuss 1840-1916 1913

  • This must be demonstrated not in pontifical phrases in front of the Empire Club but in actions that are producing the results we talk about.

    The Road to Reform—Ontario Style 1970

  • Many innovations on these rights have been made by special decrees or customs, and, according to the prevailing discipline, account must be taken of the so-called pontifical reservations, or the rights which the pope has reserved to himself, especially as regards the highest dignity of the chapter, and also of the legitimate privileges possessed by patrons in Spain,

    The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 4: Clandestinity-Diocesan Chancery 1840-1916 1913

  • Three years previously (1271) Charles of Anjou had drawn together the remnants of the army of his dead brother, had confiscated to his own use the goods of the crusading knights whose vessels had been wrecked on the coast of Sicily, and called the pontifical court to

    On the Old Road, Vol. 2 (of 2) A Collection of Miscellaneous Essays and Articles on Art and Literature John Ruskin 1859

  • Fisichella is president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, one of a number of so-called pontifical academies which are formed by or under the direction of the Holy See.

    Baltimore Reporter 2009

  • Fisichella is president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, one of a number of so-called pontifical academies which are formed by or under the direction of the Holy See.

    THE BLACK KETTLE 2009

  • Fisichella is president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, one of a number of so-called pontifical academies which are formed by or under the direction of the Holy See.

    Deep Thoughts 2009

  • Fisichella is president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, one of a number of so-called pontifical academies which are formed by or under the direction of the Holy See.

    RightWingBob.com 2009

  • Fisichella is president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, one of a number of so-called pontifical academies which are formed by or under the direction of the Holy See.

    Deep Thoughts 2009

  • For, as I shall belaborate below, a normal man is a vertical man -- or what Schuon called pontifical man.

    One Cosmos 2009

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