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  What it means

  Literally “to be more papal than the Pope.” Describes someone who is more zealous about a cause than the very authority figure who represents it — an overeager follower who outdoes the leader.

  Vocabulary

  • papieski — papal / of the Pope
  • papież — Pope
  • bardziej — more

  Grammar note

  'Od papieża' uses the genitive after 'od' in a comparative construction: 'more X than Y' = 'bardziej X od Y.'

  Cultural context

  In a deeply Catholic country like Poland, this phrase carries particular weight. It's used to gently mock excessive zeal in any domain, not just religion.

  Intermediate

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