papal, a. (n.)
(ˈpeɪpəl)
[a. F. papal (1380 in Gower Mirour) or ad. eccl. L. pāpālis belonging to the Pope, f. pāpa pope: see papa2. So Sp., Pg. papal, It. papale: see -al1.]
1. Of or pertaining to a pope, or to the pope, his dignity or office.
papal cross, one with three transoms; a triple cross. papal crown, or tiara: see quot. 1727.
| 1390 Gower Conf. I. 257 The Pope..Of his Papal Autorite Hath mad..the decre. 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) VI. 395 The clothynge papalle taken awey, and indued with seculer clothynge. 1512 Act 4 Hen. VIII, c. 19 Preamble, That our seid holy Fader shulde..be sequestered of & fro all Jurisdiccion and admynystracion Papal. a 1661 Fuller Worthies, Herts. (1840) II. 42 His own font-name was a papal one. 1687 T. Brown Saints in Uproar Wks. 1730 I. 79 Having received the Papal benediction. 1727 Chambers Cycl., Papal Crown, is a deep cap, or mitre of cloth of gold, encompassed with three coronets or circles of gold, adorned with flowers..having a globe at top, finished with a cross. 1860 J. Gardner Faiths World II. 601/2 Hildebrand accepted of the papal tiara under the title of Gregory VII. |
b. That is a pope.
| a 1802 Bowles Poems I. 200 When it bade a Papal tyrant pause and tremble. |
† 2. Adhering to or supporting the pope; belonging to the Church of Rome; popish. Obs.
| c 1592 Marlowe Massacre Paris ii. vi, To beat the papal monarch from our lands. a 1715 Burnet Own Time (1724) I. 265 Dr. Lloyd..thinks their time of hurting the Papal Christians is at an end. 1814 Southey Ode War Amer. ix, They who from papal darkness, and the thrall Of that worst bondage..Saved us in happy hour. |
3. Comb., as papal-imperial adj.
| 1874 Stubbs Const. Hist. I. i. 6 The permanency of the papal-imperial system. |
† B. n. = papist. Obs.
| 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. xxiv. (1623) 1190 To salute this puppet King, and to welcome these papals. |