ˈpāpəsē, -si noun
( -es )
Etymology: Middle English papacie, from Medieval Latin papatia, from Late Latin papa pope + -atia (as in Late Latin abbatia abbacy) — more at abbacy
1. : the office of pope : papal jurisdiction
under control of the papacy
raised to the papacy
2. : a succession of popes : a papal line
the Avignon papacy
the Roman papacy
3. : the period of time during which a pope is in office
4. usually capitalized : the system of government in the Roman Catholic Church of which the pope is the supreme head