catholic

1 of 2

adjective

cath·​o·​lic ˈkath-lik 

ˈka-thə-

1

a

capitalized : roman catholic

Her son goes to a Catholic school.

b

often capitalized : of, relating to, or forming the church universal

c

often capitalized : of, relating to, or forming the ancient undivided Christian church or a church claiming historical continuity from it

2

: comprehensive, universal

especially : broad in sympathies, tastes, or interests

a catholic taste in music

catholically

kə-ˈthä-li-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

catholicize

kə-ˈthä-lə-ˌsīz 

verb

Catholic

2 of 2

noun

Cath·​o·​lic ˈkath-lik 

ˈka-thə-

1

: a member of a Catholic church

especially : roman catholic

2

: a person who belongs to the universal Christian church

Synonyms

Adjective

• all-around
• all-round
• all-purpose
• general
• general-purpose
• unlimited
• unqualified
• unrestricted
• unspecialized

Examples of catholic in a Sentence

Adjective

She is a novelist who is catholic in her interests.

a museum director with catholic tastes in art

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Other top attractions include Hôtel de Ville, the city’s town hall, and two architectural marvels: the catholic churches of Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur and Église Saint-Jean-de-Malte. —Mark Bonte, Travel + Leisure, 4 Oct. 2024

The brothers’ catholic influences range from local graffiti writers to Brazilian modernist painter Alfredo Volpi to American underground-comics illustrator Vaughn Bodē. —Julie Belcove, Robb Report, 1 Sep. 2024

Noun

For Fiennes, who describes himself as a lapsed but inquisitive Catholic, the movie stirred up long-standing questions about faith and history. —Marco Della Cava, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024

But Burchard’s inflammatory alliteration proved especially damaging by dampening enthusiasm for Blaine in New York among disaffected Democrats and Irish Catholic voters, Summers and historian Robert D. Marcus conclude. —Robert B. Mitchell / Made By History, TIME, 24 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English catholik, from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French catholique, from Late Latin catholicus, from Greek katholikos universal, general, from katholou in general, from kata by + holos whole — more at cata-, safe

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing catholic

• Anglo-Catholic
• anti-Catholic
• Catholic Apostolic
• Catholic Epistles
• Greek Catholic
• non-Catholic
• Old Catholic
• Roman Catholic

Kids Definition

catholic

1 of 2 adjective

cath·​o·​lic ˈkath-(ə-)lik 

1

capitalized

a

: of or relating to the Christian church as a whole

b

: roman catholic

2

: broad in sympathies, tastes, or interests

a catholic taste in music

Catholicism

kə-ˈthäl-ə-ˌsiz-əm

noun

Catholic

2 of 2 noun

1

: christian entry 1 sense 2

2

: a member of the Roman Catholic church