pontificate

Meanings

Noun

• The status or term of office of a pontiff or pontifex.

Verb

• To preside as a bishop, especially at mass.
• To act like a pontiff; to express one's position or opinions dogmatically and pompously as if they were absolutely correct.
• To speak in a patronizing, supercilious or pompous manner, especially at length.

Origin

• From Latin pontificatus, from pontifex, from pons + facere.
• From the past participle stem of mediaeval Latin pontificare, from Latin pontifex, from pons + facere.