ponto-, pont-, pon-

1. An old-fashioned term, a duty or tax paid for repairing bridges: It was decided on that a pontage was necessary for the upkeep and maintenance of the new bridge.
2. A toll for the right of crossing over a bridge: Tom first had to pay a pontage before he could drive his car over the bridge to visit his uncle.

Etymology: from Latin pontifex, probably from pont-, stem of pons, "bridge" plus -fex, -ficis, root of facere "to make". If so, the word originally meant "bridge-maker", or "path-maker". Bridge-building has always been regarded as a pious work of divine inspiration, or the term may be metaphoric of bridging the earthly world and the realm of the gods.

The chief or senior priest and head of the state religion of Rome; in this case, it is not a reference to the Roman Catholic Church but to classical Rome.

At first he was probably required to be a patrician, but by the middle Republic era he was more than likely to be a plebeian. He supervised all of the various members of the priestly colleges—augurs, pontifices, other minor priests, and the Vestal Virgins.

1. To talk about something in an all-knowing and self-important way even when the speaker is not qualified to express such information: Jane’s friend tended to pontificate about health issues, telling other people what they should do in order to stay healthy despite the fact she was sick quite often.

Jane's daughter, who was fifteen, pontificated with her friends in her high school about the best way to raise children.

2. Etymology: from Latin pontificare, "to speak or to behave as if the person knows everything" from pons, "bridge" + facere "to make." © ALL rights are reserved.
© ALL rights are reserved.

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