| n. | 1. | The office and dignity of the pope, or pontiff, of Rome; papal jurisdiction. |
| 2. | The popes, collectively; the succession of popes. | |
| 3. | The Roman Catholic religion; - commonly used by the opponents of the Roman Catholics in disparagement or in an opprobrious sense. |
| Noun | 1. | papacy - the government of the Roman Catholic Church Synonyms: pontificate |