papist

Papist is an English term historically used to refer to adherents of the Roman Catholic Church or to those who advocate papal authority. The word derives from the Latin papista or papa, related to the pope, and entered English during the Reformation era. In many Protestant communities, papist functioned as a pejorative label that marked religious allegiance as well as political loyalty to the pope, rather than simply describing belief. It was commonly deployed in polemical writings, sermons, and official rhetoric to distinguish Catholics from Protestants and to stigmatize Catholic practice, hierarchy, and allegiance to the papacy. Its usage was especially prominent in England, Ireland, the Dutch Republic, and other regions with anti-Catholic sentiment or political conflict involving Catholic monarchs and the papacy.

In modern times, papist is generally regarded as archaic or insulting when used to refer to Catholics or Catholic doctrine. Contemporary neutral terminology favors "Roman Catholic" or "Catholic." Some historical or scholarly texts may quote papist as part of translational context or to illustrate attitudes in past periods; in such cases, the term is usually explained. The noun is less common today, and the adjective form "papal" is preferred when describing things related to the pope or the papacy. Related terms include papacy, papal, and papist derivative forms.