Papalists

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A collective that argues for the Pope's leadership and jurisdiction within church hierarchy
2. Individuals or groups advocating the Pope's supreme authority in religious matters
3. People who endorse the Pope's leadership and control over church governance

Etymology: "Papalists" is the plural of "papalist," a noun for a supporter of papal authority. The word is built from "papal," meaning of the pope, which comes from medieval Latin "papalis" (from "papa," father), plus the suffix "-ist," which marks a person who adheres to a doctrine or cause. The pattern is the same as in "royalist" or "federalist," where a noun or adjective is extended with "-ist" to name a partisan of that position. The plural form simply groups such adherents together, so the term is most often heard in discussions of church history and ecclesiastical politics, where it distinguishes those who backed the pope's governing authority from those who questioned it, such as conciliarists or Gallicans. The word was formed transparently in English, so its history is largely that of its two parts, and the notable fact is how closely the English word keeps the original sense of "papa" as father.

Synonyms: papists, Catholics, clergymen, believers, followers