n.
Pronunciation: ' p ā -p ə -s ē
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -cies
Etymology: Middle English papacie, from Medieval Latin papatia, from Late Latin papa pope ― more at POPE
Date: 14th century
1 : the office of pope
2 : a succession or line of popes
3 : the term of a pope's reign
4 capitalized : the system of government of the Roman Catholic Church of which the pope is the supreme head