nounWord forms: plural pontifices (pɒnˈtɪfɪˌsiːz)(in ancient Rome) any of the senior members of the Pontifical College, presided over by the Pontifex Maximus
Word origin
C16: from Latin, perhaps from Etruscan but influenced by folk etymology as if meaningliterally: bridge-maker, from
pons bridge +
-fex from
facere to make