pope

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   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. 2
   noun

   Any bishop of the early Christian church.

   1563, 2nd Tome Homelyes, sig. Hh.i All notable Bishops were then called popes.

3. 3
   noun

   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.

4. 4
   noun

   The Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica).

   Alca genus; 6 species, including the razorbill, the penguin, the pope, and others.

From Middle English pope, popa, from Old English pāpa, from Vulgar Latin papa (title for priests and bishops, esp. and by 8th c. only the bishop of Rome), from early Byzantine Greek παπᾶς (papâs, title for priests and bishops, especially by 3rd c. the bishop of Alexandria), from late Ancient Greek πάπας (pápas, title for priests and bishops, in the sense of spiritual father), from πάππας (páppas, “papa, daddy”).

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