Pontiff - Definition and Overview

Pontiff is a title of certain religious leaders. It comes from the Latin word pontifex, which literally means bridge-maker, and is in turn derived from an Etruscan word that means a religious leader, not a bridge-maker. It could therefore be construed to mean a bridge between God and humanity.

Pontiffs were men on the highest council of priests in ancient Rome and the Pontifex Maximus was the highest religious figure. Today the term is almost exclusively used to refer to the Pope or a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church.

See also: Primacy of the Roman Pontiff