"Pontificate"

The Story

Recently, (well, last night), a friend asked me what the word meant as I had just used it in conversation when refering to myself. When a definition was requested of me I had one of those Emperor's New Clothes moments and suddenly wondered if I had been using the word in the wrong context.

Fortunately, I have a very large Webster's Dictionary and was able to look up the word there and then.

I was rather suprised, therefore, to find the first of the three definitions above. Indeed, as my Dictionary is considerable I was able to tell that 'pontificate' was a derivative of 'pontifex' which is the name of a Roman High Priest, Pontifex Maximus, who was head of the Roman College of Priests, (every city should have one).

It was only today (Fri 2003 Jan 10) when I looked up the word on dict.org I found the definition I originally perceived and then right at the bottom. It follows:

talk in a dogmatic and pompous manner; "The new professor always pontificates"

Hey-ho. I stand victorious and shall go forth and conquer.

Please, feel free to comment. (See other comments.)

The Definitions

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : 

  Pontificate \Pon*tif"i*cate\, n. [L. pontificatus: cf. F.
     pontificat. See Pontiff.]
     1. The state or dignity of a high priest; specifically, the
        office of the pope. --Addison.
  
     2. The term of office of a pontiff. --Milman.


From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : 

  Pontificate \Pon*tif"i*cate\, v. i. (R. C. Ch.)
     To perform the duty of a pontiff.


From WordNet (r) 1.7 : 

  pontificate
       n : the government of the Roman Catholic Church [syn: papacy]
       v 1: administer a pontifical office
       2: talk in a dogmatic and pompous manner; "The new professor
          always pontificates"