See Also: pontificate(medicine)
pontificate(1)(dictionary)
pontificate(2)(dictionary)
pontificate 1, verb(dictionary)
pontificate 2, noun(dictionary)

pontificate(2) (iou)



pontificate verb. E19.
[medieval Latin pontificat- pa. ppl stem of pontificare, from Latin PONTIFEX: see -ATE3.]
Roman Catholic Church.
a. verb intrans. Officiate as a bishop, esp. at mass. E19.
b. verb trans. Celebrate (mass) as a bishop. L19.
verb intrans. Act like a pontiff, claim to be infallible. Also, be pompously dogmatic. E19.
M. Dibdin A didactic voice began pontificating about the ecology of the Po delta.
b. verb trans. Utter in a pontifical manner. E20.
pontificator noun M20.