Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1500-1600
Language: Latin
Origin: Vaticanus 'Vatican Hill' (in Rome)

Vatican

 noun
     
Vat‧i‧can

the Vatican

a) RRC the large palace in Rome where the Pope (=head of the Roman Catholic Church) lives and works
b) RRC the government of the Pope:
The Vatican is taking a hard line on birth control.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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