pontificate

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive)
• HYPHEN: pon=tif=i=cate

CIDE DICTIONARY

pontificate, n. [L. pontificatus: cf. F. pontificat. See Pontiff.].

•  The state or dignity of a high priest; specifically, the office of the pope.  Addison.  [1913 Webster]
•  The term of office of a pontiff.  Milman.  [1913 Webster]

pontificate, v. i. 

 To perform the duty of a pontiff.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

pontificate, v. & n.
--v.intr.
1 a play the pontiff; pretend to be infallible. b be pompously dogmatic.
2 RC Ch. officiate as bishop, esp. at mass.
--n.
1 the office of pontifex, bishop, or pope.
2 the period of this.

Etymology

L pontificatus (as PONTIFEX)

THESAURUS

pontificate

Apostolic See, Barnumize, See of Rome, aedileship, archbishopric, archiepiscopacy, archiepiscopate, aristocracy, bishopric, blow, bombast, chairmanship, chancellery, chancellorate, chancellorship, chiefery, chiefry, chieftaincy, chieftainry, chieftainship, cock, consulate, consulship, deanery, dictatorship, dictature, directorship, dogmatize, emirate, episcopacy, governorship, headship, hegemony, hierarchy, inflate, lay it on, leadership, look big, lordship, magistracy, magistrateship, magistrature, masterdom, mastership, mastery, mayoralty, mayorship, metropolitanate, metropolitanship, nobility, oracle, oraculate, papacy, papality, pashadom, pashalic, patriarchate, patriarchy, peacock, pile it on, pontificality, popedom, popehood, popeship, prefectship, prefecture, premiership, presidency, presidentship, prime-ministership, prime-ministry, princedom, princeship, principality, proclaim, proconsulate, proconsulship, protectorate, protectorship, provostry, provostship, put on, put on airs, put on side, rectorate, rectorship, regency, regentship, ritz it, ruling class, seigniory, seneschalship, seneschalsy, sheikhdom, sheriffalty, sheriffcy, sheriffdom, shrievalty, supervisorship, suzerainship, suzerainty, swagger, swank, swell, swell it, talk big, talk highfalutin, the Vatican, tribunate, vapor, vizierate, viziership

ROGET THESAURUS

pontificate

Churchdom

N church, churchdom, ministry, apostleship, priesthood, prelacy, hierarch, church government, christendom, pale of the church, clericalism, sacerdotalism, episcopalianism, ultramontanism, theocracy, ecclesiology, ecclesiologist, priestcraft, odium theologicum, monachism, monachy, monasticism, monkhood, pontificate, primacy, archbishopric, archiepiscopacy, prelacy, bishopric, bishopdom, episcopate, episcopacy, see, diocese, deanery, stall, canonry, canonicate, prebend, prebendaryship, benefice, incumbency, glebe, advowson, living, cure, rectorship, vicariate, vicarship, deaconry, deaconship, curacy, chaplain, chaplaincy, chaplainship, cardinalate, cardinalship, abbacy, presbytery, holy orders, ordination, institution, consecration, induction, reading in, preferment, translation, presentation, popedom, the Vatican, the apostolic see, religious sects, council, conclave, convocation, synod, consistory, chapter, vestry, sanhedrim, conge d'elire, ecclesiastical courts, consistorial court, court of Arches, ecclesiastical, ecclesiological, clerical, sacerdotal, priestly, prelatical, pastoral, ministerial, capitular, theocratic, hierarchical, archiepiscopal, episcopal, episcopalian, canonical, monastic, monachal, monkish, abbatial, abbatical, Anglican, pontifical, papal, apostolic, Roman, Popish, ultramontane, priest-ridden.