-ate (office of)

The rank or office of a senior Roman Catholic prelate: Lana's uncle was a cardinalate or a member of the College of Cardinals.

The political office or period of office of a consul, or the jurisdiction of a consul.

1. To speak and to act for others; to represent: Every state will delegate a representative to go to the political convention.
2. To entrust an authority, rights, etc. to a person acting as one’s agent or representative; to entrust, to assign, to commit to the care of: Sharon's cousin delegated her legal powers to her son. © ALL rights are reserved.

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The position of deacon or deaconess, or the term of office of a deacon or deaconess.

The office or position of the executive assigned to a department: A board, or directorate, of professional financiers, or investors, are going to be in charge of the management of a new bank in Eddie's town.

The rank or office of an emir.

The office, position, or a term of office of a bishop.

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.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

1. The station or place of work of an elder in a church: The office of the presbyterate was open for members of the congregation from Monday to Friday.
2. An order or a group of church officials: The presbyterate decided to convene at least once a week to discuss the issues involving the place of worship.

The rank, position, or period of service of a teacher or instructor in a university or college.

The officials or office entrusted with administrative duties, maintaining records, and overseeing or performing secretarial duties; especially, for an international organization; such as, the secretariat of the United Nations: "He was a United Nations secretariat."

1. The authority or office of a vicar.
2. The district under a vicar's jurisdiction.