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Definition of vatican city

vatican city

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• noun

1

An independent landlocked city-state in Southern Europe, completely enclaved within the city of Rome, Italy, serving as the territorial seat of the Pope and the central governing body of the Roman Catholic Church, and recognized as the smallest sovereign country in the world by both area and population.

2

A walled urban enclave situated on the Vatican Hill in northwestern Rome, Italy, west of the Tiber River, encompassing St. Peter's Basilica, the Apostolic Palace, the Sistine Chapel, and the Vatican Museums, and serving as the capital of the Vatican City State.

Synonyms
View all synonyms for vatican city

Word Nuance & Usage

In diplomatic and legal contexts, "Vatican City" refers to the physical sovereign territory established in 1929, whereas "the Holy See" refers to the supreme ecclesiastical jurisdiction and diplomatic entity of the Pope and the Catholic Church.

• Nearby Words

vastness
vat
vatican
vatican city
vaticinatrix
vaudeville
vaudevillian

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Vatican city. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/vatican-city
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