Pope
/poʊp/noun
The bishop of Rome and head of the Roman Catholic Church.
Did you know?For centuries, Greek and Latin speakers used forms of this word as an affectionate title for priests and bishops before it became restricted in English to the bishop of Rome.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Gk
πάππας (páppas)
“Father, papa; an affectionate term for a priest or bishop”
Late Latin
Lat
papa
“Father; a title of respect for bishops and clergy”
Old English
OE
pāpa
“The pope; bishop of Rome”
Middle English
ME
pope
“The pope; the bishop of Rome”
Modern English
Eng
pope
“The bishop of Rome and head of the Roman Catholic Church”