pontificate

/pɑnˈtɪfɪkeɪt/
verb
  1. To express one's opinions in a pompous or dogmatic way, as if one is infallible.
    • My uncle loves to pontificate about politics at family dinners.
    • She pontificated for an hour on the proper way to plant tomatoes.
    • The professor pontificated about the importance of his own research.
  2. To officiate as a bishop or pope at a religious ceremony.
    • He was chosen to pontificate during the papal visit.
    • The bishop pontificated at the cathedral's centennial celebration.
    • The archbishop will pontificate at the Easter mass.
Synonyms
noun
  1. The office or term of office of a pope or bishop.
    • During his pontificate, many reforms were introduced.
    • His pontificate lasted for over twenty years.
    • The museum displayed artifacts from the pontificate of Pope Leo X.