n. 1 the palace and official residence of the Pope in Rome. 2 papal government. Vatican City an independent Papal State in Rome, instituted in 1929. Vatican Council an ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church, esp. that held in 1869-70 or that held in 1962-5. Vaticanism n. Vaticanist n.
[ F Vatican or L Vaticanus name of a hill in Rome ]