antipope
/ˈæntiˌpoʊp/
noun
- A person who claims to be pope in opposition to the pope chosen by the official church, especially in historical periods when there were rival popes.
- Historians often debate whether a particular medieval figure was a legitimate pope or an antipope.
- The antipope set up his own court in Avignon, challenging the authority of the Roman pope.
- During the Great Western Schism, Europe was divided between supporters of the pope and the antipope.
- A person who sets themselves up as a rival or false leader in any organization or field, often in a figurative sense.
- Some critics called the new art movement's founder an antipope, rejecting the traditional art establishment.
- The rebel faction declared their own leader as an antipope to the official head of the political party.
- In the world of tech startups, he was seen as an antipope, challenging the established CEO's vision.
Antonyms