n.1 the palace and official residence of the Pope in Rome.
2 papal government.
Phrases and idioms:
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.
Derivatives:
Vaticanism n. Vaticanist n.
Etymology: F Vatican or L Vaticanus name of a hill in Rome