Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PONT'IF, or PONT'IFF, n. [Fr. pontife; L. pontifex; said to be from pons, a bridge, and facio, to make. The second f is improperly added to this word. It is properly rejected in the derivatives.]

A high priest. The Romans had a college of pontifs; the Jews had their pontifs; and in modern times, the pope is called pontif or sovereign pontif. – Encyc.