the doctrines and rituals of the Roman Catholic Church
a hostile term
Word origin
UNRESOLVED CROSS REF + -ery
popery in American English
(ˈpoupəri)
noun
usually derogatory
the Roman Catholic Church, esp. its doctrines, ceremonies, and system of government
Word origin
[1525–35; pope + -ery]This word is first recorded in the period 1525–35. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: battery, dominant, qualify, shuffle, society-ery is a suffix of nouns denoting occupation, business, calling or condition, place orestablishment, goods or products, things collectively, qualities, actions, etc. Otherwords that use the affix -ery include: archery, bakery, cutlery, fishery, witchery