pontifex

noun

pon·​ti·​fex ˈpän-tə-ˌfeks 

plural pontifices pän-ˈti-fə-ˌsēz 

: a member of the council of priests in ancient Rome

Examples of pontifex in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The realistic, albeit absurdist, images of a fashionable pontifex went viral over the weekend via Twitter and other social media outlets, leading at least some to briefly wonder about their authenticity. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 28 Mar. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Latin pontific-, pontifex, from pont-, pons bridge + facere to make — more at find, do

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined above