LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinethird declension

pontifex

pontifex m (genitive pontificis)
Classical[ˈpɔn.tɪ.fɛks]Ecclesiastical[ˈpɔn.ti.feks]

Meaning

  1. masculinean ancient Roman high priest, state minister, pontiff
    adiacet antīquus Tiberīnō lūcūs Helernī:The ancient grove of Helernus is near by the Tiber [River]: Even now the high priests bring sacrifices to there. (See: Helernus; “Tiberinus” is an alternative name for the Tiber River.)8 CE, Ovidius, Fasti 6.105–106
  2. masculinea pontiff or bishop of the early Christian church, now specifically the Pope

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativepontifexpontificēs
genitivepontificispontificum
dativepontificīpontificibus
accusativepontificempontificēs
ablativepontificepontificibus
vocativepontifexpontificēs

pontĭfex (pontŭ-), fĭcis doubtless from pons-facio; but the original meaning is obscure, m.,
I. a Roman high-priest, a pontiff, pontifex (cf.: antistes, sacerdos): pontifices, ut Q. Scaevola pontifex maximus dicebat, a posse et facere, Varr. L. L. 5, § 83 Müll.; Cic. Leg. 2, 8, 20, on the laws of the Twelve Tables; id. de Or. 3, 19, 73; id. Rep. 2, 14, 26; Liv. 1, 20; Ov. F. 6, 454; Hor. C. 3, 30, 9; 2, 14, 28; 3, 23, 12; id. Ep. 2, 1, 26; Juv. 6, 604. Their chief or president was called Pontifex Maximus, Cic. Agr. 2, 7, 18; id. de Or. 2, 12, 51; Liv. 3, 54; 25, 5 et saep.: MAIOR VESTAE, Inscr. (a. 353 p. Chr. n.) Orell. 3184: pontifices minores, a lower class of pontiffs, minor or sub- pontiffs: scribae pontificis, quos nunc minores pontifices appellant, Liv. 22, 57, 3; Cic. Har. Resp. 6, 12; Verr. Fl. Fast. ap. Inscr. Orell. 2, p. 408; Inscr. Cenot. Pisan. ap. Orell. 643: pontifices seu minores seu maximi, Lact. 5, 19, 12.—
II. Transf.
A. The Jewish high-priest: Pontifex, id est, sacerdos maximus, Vulg. Lev. 21, 10: Caiapham pontificem, id. Johan. 18, 24.—Hence,
B. In the Christian period, a bishop, Sid. Carm. 16, 6.

Origins

Often interpreted as a compound originally meaning “bridge-maker”, from Proto-Italic *pontifaks, equivalent to pōns, pontis m (“bridge”) + -fex, -ficis m (suffix representing a maker or producer), either metaphorically “one who negotiates between gods and men” or literally if at some point the social class which supplied the priests was more or less identical with engineers that were responsible for building bridges. Compare Sanskrit पथिकृत् (pathikṛ́t, “path-maker”), attested as an epithet of rishis in the Rig Veda.

Descendants
  • Catalanpontífex
  • Italianpontefice
  • Frenchpontifefrom Middle French pontife
  • Romanianpontiffrom Middle French pontife
  • Englishpontifffrom Middle French pontife
  • Portuguesepontífice
  • Romanianpontifice
  • Spanishpontífice
  • Russianпонти́фик

In English words that came into English from pontifex

  • pontiffpontifex
  • pontificalpontificālis
  • pontificatepontificō
  • pontifexpontifex
  • pontificialpontificius
  • pontificiouspontificius

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

AntiquitiesPontifexPontifex (ἱεροδιδάσκαλος, ἱερονόμος, ἱεροφύλαξ, ἱεροφάντης). The origin of this word is explained in various ways. Q. Scaevola, who was himself pontif…

Quick answers

What does pontifex mean in Latin?
pontifex, a noun, means “an ancient Roman high priest, state minister, pontiff; a pontiff or bishop of the early Christian church, now specifically the Pope”.
What is the genitive of pontifex?
The genitive singular is pontificis. pontifex is masculine, third declension.
How do you pronounce pontifex?
In classical Latin, [ˈpɔn.tɪ.fɛks]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈpɔn.ti.feks].
Which English words come from pontifex?
English words that go back to Latin pontifex include pontiff, pontifex, pontifical, pontificate, pontificial and pontificious.