1. a person who supports the authority and supremacy of the Pope
Usage: often historical, referring to medieval or Reformation-era disputes

1. relating to or supporting the Pope's authority and power
Usage: often historical

Examples

• Medieval papalists argued that the Pope held supreme authority over all Christian rulers.
• The papalist faction in the church supported the Pope's temporal power.
• During the Reformation, papalists and reformers clashed over church governance.
• Papalist doctrine emphasized the Pope's role as the head of Christendom.
• The papalist position weakened as secular governments gained independence.
• He was known as a papalist because he defended papal supremacy in his writings.