Search Result for "papacy": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (1)

1. the government of the Roman Catholic Church;
[syn: papacy, pontificate]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Papacy \Pa"pa*cy\, n. [LL. papatia, fr. L. papa a father, bishop. See Pope.] 1. The office and dignity of the pope, or pontiff, of Rome; papal jurisdiction. [1913 Webster] 2. The popes, collectively; the succession of popes. [1913 Webster] 3. The Roman Catholic religion; -- commonly used by the opponents of the Roman Catholics in disparagement or in an opprobrious sense. [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

papacy n 1: the government of the Roman Catholic Church [syn: papacy, pontificate]