noun
Meaning 1
The status or term of office of a pontiff or pontifex.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
pontificate
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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Received-Pronunciation: /pɒnˈtɪf.ɪ.kət/
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US: /pɔnˈtɪf.ə.kət/
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US: /pɔnˈtɪf.ɪ.kət/
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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Received-Pronunciation: /pɒnˈtɪf.ɪ.keɪt/
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US: /pɔnˈtɪf.ə.keɪt/
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US: /pɔnˈtɪf.ɪ.keɪt/
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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CMU ARPABET: P AA0 N T IH1 F AH0 K EY2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
verb
Meaning 2
To preside as a bishop, especially at mass.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 3
To act like a pontiff; to express one's position or opinions dogmatically and pompously as if they were absolutely correct.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 4
To speak in a patronizing, supercilious or pompous manner, especially at length.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 5
the government of the Roman Catholic Church
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: papacy
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: government, authorities, regime
verb
Meaning 6
talk in a dogmatic and pompous manner
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The new professor always pontificates
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: talk, speak
verb
Meaning 7
administer a pontifical office
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: administer, administrate
History
Etymology
From Latin pontificatus, from pontifex (“high priest”), from pons (“bridge”) + facere (“make”).
From the past participle stem of Medieval Latin pontificō, from Latin pontifex (“high priest”), from pons (“bridge”) + facere (“make”).
Across languages
Translations
41 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bulgarian: понтифика́т (pontifikát) — state of a pontifex
- Catalan: pontificat — state of a pontifex
- Czech: pontifikát — state of a pontifex
- Dutch: pontificaat — state of a pontifex
- Finnish: paavius — state of a pontifex
- Finnish: pontifikaatti — state of a pontifex
- French: pontificat — state of a pontifex
- Georgian: პონტიფიკატი (ṗonṭipiḳaṭi) — state of a pontifex
- German: Pontifikat — state of a pontifex
- Hungarian: főpapi méltóság/rang/tisztség — state of a pontifex
- Hungarian: pontifikátus — state of a pontifex
- Indonesian: pontifikat — state of a pontifex
- Italian: pontificato — state of a pontifex
- Japanese: 司教の職 (shikyō no shoku) — state of a pontifex
- Polish: pontyfikat — state of a pontifex
- Russian: понтифика́т (pontifikát) — state of a pontifex
- Spanish: pontificado — state of a pontifex
- Swedish: pontifikat — state of a pontifex
- Catalan: pontificar — preside as a bishop
- French: pontifier — preside as a bishop
- Hungarian: pontifikál — preside as a bishop
- Italian: pontificare — preside as a bishop
- Spanish: pontificar — preside as a bishop
- Catalan: pontificar — act like a pontiff
- Dutch: orakelen — act like a pontiff
- French: pontifier — act like a pontiff
- Italian: pontificare — act like a pontiff
- Japanese: 説教する (sekkyō-suru) — act like a pontiff
- Spanish: pontificar — act like a pontiff
- Bulgarian: попу́вам (popúvam) — speak in a patronizing, supercilious or pompous manner
- Catalan: pontificar — speak in a patronizing, supercilious or pompous manner
- Dutch: orakelen — speak in a patronizing, supercilious or pompous manner
- Finnish: saarnata — speak in a patronizing, supercilious or pompous manner
- French: pontifier — speak in a patronizing, supercilious or pompous manner
- Hungarian: kinyilatkoztat — speak in a patronizing, supercilious or pompous manner
- Italian: pontificare — speak in a patronizing, supercilious or pompous manner
- Macedonian: попува (popuva) — speak in a patronizing, supercilious or pompous manner
- Spanish: sentar cátedra — speak in a patronizing, supercilious or pompous manner
- Spanish: pontificar — speak in a patronizing, supercilious or pompous manner
- Spanish: poner cátedra — speak in a patronizing, supercilious or pompous manner
- Turkish: ahkam kesmek — speak in a patronizing, supercilious or pompous manner
Real reading context