PONTIFICATE

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does pontificate mean? 

• PONTIFICATE (noun)
  The noun PONTIFICATE has 1 sense:

1. the government of the Roman Catholic Church

  Familiarity information: PONTIFICATE used as a noun is very rare.

• PONTIFICATE (verb)
  The verb PONTIFICATE has 2 senses:

1. administer a pontifical office

2. talk in a dogmatic and pompous manner

  Familiarity information: PONTIFICATE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PONTIFICATE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The government of the Roman Catholic Church

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

papacy; pontificate

Hypernyms ("pontificate" is a kind of...):

authorities; government; regime (the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit)

Meronyms (members of "pontificate"):

Bishop of Rome; Catholic Pope; Holy Father; pontiff; pope; Roman Catholic Pope; Vicar of Christ (the head of the Roman Catholic Church)

Derivation:

pontificate (administer a pontifical office)

• PONTIFICATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they pontificate    ... he / she / it pontificates   
Past simple: pontificated   
Past participle: pontificated   
-ing form: pontificating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Administer a pontifical office

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "pontificate" is one way to...):

administer; administrate (work in an administrative capacity; supervise or be in charge of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

pontifex (a member of the highest council of priests in ancient Rome)

pontificate (the government of the Roman Catholic Church)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Talk in a dogmatic and pompous manner

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

The new professor always pontificates

Hypernyms (to "pontificate" is one way to...):

speak; talk (exchange thoughts; talk with)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s