Pope

noun popes · Pope

1. An honorary title of the Roman Catholic bishop of Rome as father and head of his church, a sovereign of the Vatican city state. Þa wæs in þa tid Uitalius papa þæs apostolican seðles aldorbiscop.
2. broadly, ironic, often Any similarly absolute and 'infallible' authority. We often say, that every man has a pope in his belly.
3. broadly Any similar head of a religion. In þat yle dwelleth the Pope of hire lawe, þat þei clepen lobassy.
4. uncommon A theocrat, a priest-king, including (at first especially) over the imaginary land of Prester John or (now) in figurative and alliterative uses. Eche day there etyn in his court xii erchebeshopis and xx bishopis, and the patriak of Seynt Thomays is as here pope.
5. UK An effigy of the pope traditionally burnt in Britain on Guy Fawkes' Day and (occasionally) at other times. This is the only piece in which the author has given a hint of his religion, by ridiculing the ceremony of burning the pope, and by mentioning with some indignation the inscription […]
6. US, obsolete Pope Day, the present Guy Fawkes Day.
7. An honorary title of the Coptic bishop of Alexandria as father and head of his church.
8. An honorary title of the Orthodox bishop of Alexandria as father and head of his autocephalous church.
9. historical, obsolete Any bishop of the early Christian church. 1563, 2nd Tome Homelyes, sig. Hh.i All notable Bishops were then called popes.
10. UK The ruffe, a small Eurasian freshwater fish (Gymnocephalus cernua); others of its genus. Byfleet-river, wherein are very large pikes, jack, and tench ; perch, of eighteen inches long ; good carp, large flounders, bream, roach, dace, gudgeons, popes, large chub, and eels.
11. Cornwall, Devon, Scotland, UK, regional The Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica). Alca genus; 6 species, including the razorbill, the penguin, the pope, and others.
12. US, regional The painted bunting (Passerina ciris). The Pope is of a bright blue round the head; on the throat it is of a fine red, and on the back of a gold green colour, it sings very finely and is the size of a canary bird.
13. rare The red-cowled cardinal (Paroaria dominicana). From the sketch of the bird which you have sent us, there is no doubt about its being the Pope Grosbeak, which is a species of the Cardinal, but not the crested one.
14. Garlic, when used in addition to the Holy Trinity of celery, bell peppers and onions.

Similar: Bishop of Rome, Patriarch of Rome, Vicar of Christ, Bishop of Alexandria, Patriarch of Alexandria

verb popes · poping · poped · Pope

1. intransitive To act as or like a pope. 1537, T. Cromwell in R. B. Merriman, Life & Lett. Cromwell (1902), II. 89
2. colloquial, intransitive To convert to Roman Catholicism. I'm not going to ‘Pope’ until after the war (if I'm alive).

noun popes · Pope

1. Any mulled wine (traditionally including tokay) considered similar and superior to bishop. When made with Burgundy or Bordeaux, the mixture was called Bishop; when with old Rhenish, its name was Cardinal; and when with Tokay, it was dignified with the title of Pope.

noun popes · Pope

1. alternative Alternative form of pop, a Russian Orthodox priest.pop The other Ecclesiastical Orders are distinguish'd into Proto-popes, Popes, (or Priests) and Deacons.

noun popes · Pope

1. US, dialectal, obsolete The whippoorwill (Antrostomus vociferus, syn. Caprimulgus vociferus). The Whipperwill has so named itself by its nocturnal songs. It is also called the pope, by reason of its darting with great swiftness, from the clouds almost to the ground, and bawling out Pope!
2. US, dialectal, rare The nighthawk (Chordeiles minor). Common Nighthawk... Pope (Conn[ecticut]. From the sound made by its wings while dropping through the air).

proper noun

1. An English surname transferred from the nickname originating as a nickname.
2. An unincorporated community in Marengo County, Alabama.
3. A township in Fayette County, Illinois.
4. An unincorporated community in Allen County, Kentucky.
5. A village in Panola County, Mississippi.

noun Popes

1. Alternative letter-case form of pope.pope For quotations using this term, see Citations:Pope.