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- Dictionarypontificate
verb
- 1. express one's opinions in a pompous and dogmatic way: "he was pontificating about art and history"
- 2. (in the Roman Catholic Church) officiate as bishop, especially at Mass: "he pontificated at three Christmas Masses"
noun
- 1. (in the Roman Catholic Church) the office or period of office of a pope or bishop: "Pope Gregory VIII enjoyed only a ten-week pontificate"
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PONTIFICATE definition: 1. to speak or write and give your opinion about something as if you knew everything about it and…. Learn more.
The meaning of PONTIFICATE is to speak or express opinions in a pompous or dogmatic way.
PONTIFICATE meaning: 1. to speak or write and give your opinion about something as if you knew everything about it and…. Learn more.
If someone pontificates about something, they state their opinions as if they are the only correct ones and nobody could possibly argue against them. Politicians like to pontificate about falling standards. [V + about/on] The pontificate of a pope is the period of time during which he is pope.
To pontificate is to talk in a dogmatic and pompous manner. To pontificate properly, you need to be a know-it-all with very strong opinions and the urge to share them. Pontificate comes from the French word pontiff, another word for the Pope, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
Definition of pontificate verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
What does the noun pontificate mean? There are four meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun pontificate. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence. pontificate has developed meanings and uses in subjects including. How common is the noun pontificate? About 0.2 occurrences per million words in modern written English.
1. to speak or behave in a pompous or dogmatic manner. Also (less commonly): pontify. 2. (Roman Catholic Church) to serve or officiate as a pontiff, esp in celebrating a Pontifical Mass. Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014.
A complete guide to the word "PONTIFICATE": definitions, pronunciations, synonyms, grammar insights, collocations, examples, and translations.
Sep 27, 2024 · pontificate (plural pontificates) The status or term of office of a pontiff or pontifex. From the past participle stem of mediaeval Latin pontificare (“pontificate”), from Latin pontifex (“high priest”), from pons (“bridge”) + facere (“make”).