der Papst
pope
The head of the Roman Catholic Church and of the state of Vatican City.
EXAMPLE
Der Papst hält zu Ostern eine besondere Messe im Petersdom.
The pope holds a special Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at Easter.
der Papst
pope
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Meanings
der Papst
leading authority
A person who is considered the highest authority or an infallible expert in a particular field.
EXAMPLE
In der Literaturkritik gilt er als der deutsche Papst.
In literary criticism, he is considered Germany's leading authority.
Usage tips
Use as a title
The word 'Papst' (pope) is often used like a title directly before the person's name. In this case, it is used without an article.
EXAMPLE
Papst Franziskus besucht nächstes Jahr Deutschland.
Pope Francis is visiting Germany next year.
Figurative meaning
In the figurative meaning of 'Experte' (expert), 'Papst' (pope) is often combined with a field of expertise. This can happen as a compound noun, e.g. 'Literaturpapst' (literary pope / leading literary authority), or with the genitive.
EXAMPLE
Er gilt als der Fitness-Papst in den sozialen Medien.
He is considered the fitness guru on social media.
Typical collocations
In a church context, 'Papst' (pope) is often used with certain verbs. Typical combinations are 'zum Papst gewählt werden' (to be elected pope) or 'eine Audienz beim Papst haben' (to have an audience with the pope).
EXAMPLE
Nach langer Diskussion wurde ein neuer Papst gewählt.
After a long discussion, a new pope was elected.
Compare with
Papst vs Guru
guru
Papst and Guru can both refer to a leading person in a particular field. Papst presents the person as an almost unassailable highest authority. Guru emphasizes their great influence on others and can sound slightly ironic.
Papst
In der Branche gilt Herr Kern als der Papst der Datensicherheit, dessen Urteil kaum jemand anzweifelt.
In the industry, Mr. Kern is considered the pope of data security, and hardly anyone questions his judgment.
Guru
In der Branche gilt Herr Kern als Guru der Datensicherheit und beeinflusst mit seinen Ratschlägen viele Anhänger.
In the industry, Mr. Kern is considered a data security guru and influences many followers with his advice.
In real life
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