Definition of papabile in English:
papabile
adjective pəˈpɑːbɪleɪpəˈpɑːbɪlipəˈpäbəˌlā
Worthy of being or eligible to be pope.
Example sentencesExamples
- ‘It's interesting that several people once thought to be papabile are now regarded as too old or infirm’ said Lawler.
- And who is the most papabile, to use the Italian word for a possible Pope?
- The two men considered most papabile (capable of becoming pope) among the DUP cardinals when the next conclave eventually comes are deputy leader Peter Robinson and the party's newest star, Nigel Dodds.
- Four now run curial offices themselves… All four are today mentioned as papabile, or potential candidates for the papacy.
- To speak of a cardinal as papabile is to say that he is thought to be a likely candidate for pope.
Origin
Italian, from Latin papa 'pope'.