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

In largely catholic Argentina, the Virgin of La Rosa Mística manifests herself in the home of María Belén Ochoa, a trans woman from a village in Córdoba who became the first trans mother in Argentina in 2010 after being visited by the Virgin in a dream. —John Hopewell, Variety, 20 Nov. 2024

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

Noun

Biden, a practicing Catholic, will meet with Pope Francis, who recently called for prayers for U.S. death row inmates in hopes their sentences would be commuted. —Will Weissert and Darlene Superville, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024

By now Francis' annual Christmas address to the priests, bishops and cardinals who work in the Vatican Curia has become a lesson in humility — and humiliation — as Francis offers a public dressing down of some of the sins in the workplace at the headquarters of the Catholic Church. —CBS News, 21 Dec. 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