This is the 4709th most frequent French word.
pontificat
"Pontificat" in French refers to the period of a pope's reign or office.
Here, 'pontificat' is used to denote the tenure of a pope's authority within the religious context of the Catholic Church.
Le pontificat de Jean-Paul II a marqué une époque de changements dans l'Église catholique.
The pontificate of John Paul II marked a period of change in the Catholic Church.
In this sentence, 'pontificat' refers specifically to the papal reign and the actions taken by the pope during that period.
Son pontificat a été caractérisé par des réformes audacieuses.
His pontificate was characterized by bold reforms.
The word 'pontificat' is used here to describe the current era or time of leadership under the present pope.