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Definition of holy see
holy see
holy see Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
9
Tier
2
Usage
Top 10k
• noun
1
The central governing body and sovereign entity of the Catholic Church, operating from Vatican City and representing the episcopal jurisdiction of the Pope.
Example
"The United Nations maintains formal diplomatic relations with the Holy See rather than with Vatican City itself."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for holy seeWord Nuance & Usage
The Holy See is frequently confused with Vatican City. While Vatican City is the physical, sovereign microstate created in 1929, the Holy See is the universal government of the Catholic Church that maintains formal diplomatic relations with other nations.
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from 'holy' and the noun 'see' (from Old French 'sie', from Latin 'sedes' meaning 'seat'). It refers to the foundational seat of the Bishop of Rome.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Holy see. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/holy see