papabile

/pəˈpɑːbɪleɪ/

papabile means being among those likely to be elected pope.

papabile is pronounced /pəˈpɑːbɪleɪ/.

Why “papabile” is a great word

Considered a likely or viable candidate for election as Pope, especially a cardinal during a conclave. Borrowed from Italian papabile, from papa ("pope", from Late Latin) + -abile ("-able"). Unlike "pontiff" (which names the incumbent) or the generic "candidate" (which applies to any office), "papabile" denotes a specific, rarefied state of potential measured in whispered conversations. It is the speculative weight of a scarlet zucchetto, the studied neutrality of a public utterance parsed for clues, the palpable stillness around a man who must show no ambition for the throne he is judged most fit to occupy—the quiet agony of being the heir to an eternal kingdom that may never call.

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian papabile.

adj

Being among those likely to be elected pope.e.g.“Vatican watchers have already anointed the Honduran prelate papabile or “popeable.”” — 2001 February 20, May Ying Welsh, “Latin Cardinals hint at Church's future”, in CNN:

noun

A cardinal among those likely to be elected pope.

Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Words closest in meaning

By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.

popely 62% match — Of or befitting a pope. vs papabile →
appointable 59% match — Capable of being appointed. vs papabile →
papacy 58% match — The office of a pope. vs papabile →
papality 58% match — The papacy. vs papabile →
pontifician 55% match — Of or relating to the pontiff or pope. vs papabile →
papalty 55% match — The papacy. vs papabile →
popelike 54% match — Resembling or characteristic of a pope. vs papabile →
papally 54% match — in papal fashion vs papabile →