Definition of "papacy" [pa•pa•cy]

• The office and jurisdiction of a pope. (noun)
• The period of time during which a pope is in office. (noun)
• A succession or line of popes: the Medici papacy. (noun)
• Roman Catholic Church The system of church government headed by the pope. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Unfortunately, Pope Benedict's papacy is already shaping up as a series of such disasters."
• "Q: If Joan's papacy is so well documented, why is the subject so controversial?"
• "His papacy is likely to continue to deal with that rift and other such divisions in global society."