noun
pope
pohp
noun
1
The bishop of Rome, head of the Roman Catholic Church.
"The pope addressed thousands of pilgrims in the square."
2
By extension, the head of certain other churches, such as the Coptic Orthodox Church.
"The Coptic pope led the Easter service in Cairo."
How to Use Pope
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
Common pairings
elect a pope
the pope's address
Word Forms
poped past tense, popes plural, popes plural, popes plural, popes singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “pope”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ addressed thousands of pilgrims in the square.
Etymology
From Old English pāpa, from Vulgar Latin papa, ultimately from Greek pápas, "father."