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
1
: a member of a Catholic church
especially
: roman catholic
2
: a person who belongs to the universal Christian church
Synonyms
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
Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 14 July 2023
Aclose friend, an art historian with good, catholic taste, sent me a text message from the high-end opening of the Armory Show.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 15 Sep. 2022
Only God can enlighten the hearts of the faithful to preserve us in the profession of the same catholic faith.
—Fr. Goran Jovicic, National Review, 13 June 2021
These catholic tastes are unusual, especially since herpesviruses usually stick to one specific host.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 16 Aug. 2012
Play is the substrate of autoconstrucción and its driving force, even as Cruzvillegas alternately breaks up and buttresses the idea with a catholic range of historical and artistic touchpoints, interests and memories.
—Christina Catherine Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2022
The opponents received the bulk of their money from Right to Life Michigan and the state's catholic conference.
—Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press, 29 Oct. 2022
Godard, along with his friends and colleagues François Truffaut, Jacques Rivette, Claude Chabrol, and Éric Rohmer (who was also the group’s elder statesman) shared a catholic love of movies.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2022
But his photography is at the heart of his catholic creativity.
—Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 9 June 2022
David Browne, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2024
Beginning in the third grade, her parents sent her across the border into the U.S. to attend Catholic School.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2024
Congratulations once more to Brady Sandlin of Guerin Catholic High School, last week's IndyStar Student of the Week.
—Joe Mutascio, The Indianapolis Star, 22 Apr. 2024
Like the boys, the girls program had never won a section title dating back to Marian Catholic.
—Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2024
His German Jewish father fled before the war to escape the Nazis, and his Roman Catholic Polish mother fled after the war to escape the Soviets.
—Maureen Dowd, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
However, Hispanics aren’t a demographic the Catholic Church can take for granted, said Michele Dillon, a professor of sociology at the University of New Hampshire.
—USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2024
In 2018, Kaufman guided O’Dowd to a 12-2 season that culminated with a victory over Marin Catholic in the North Coast Section Division II final.
—Darren Sabedra, The Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2024
This Roman Catholic church broke ground for its new church in April of 2021 and just opened with an April 6 dedication ceremony.
—Cathy Kozlowicz, Journal Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2024
Adjective
Team parents have made efforts to contact the superintendent of Archdiocese for support but got response that John Carroll is an independent catholic school.
—Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 14 July 2023
Aclose friend, an art historian with good, catholic taste, sent me a text message from the high-end opening of the Armory Show.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 15 Sep. 2022
Only God can enlighten the hearts of the faithful to preserve us in the profession of the same catholic faith.
—Fr. Goran Jovicic, National Review, 13 June 2021
These catholic tastes are unusual, especially since herpesviruses usually stick to one specific host.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 16 Aug. 2012
Play is the substrate of autoconstrucción and its driving force, even as Cruzvillegas alternately breaks up and buttresses the idea with a catholic range of historical and artistic touchpoints, interests and memories.
—Christina Catherine Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2022
The opponents received the bulk of their money from Right to Life Michigan and the state's catholic conference.
—Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press, 29 Oct. 2022
Godard, along with his friends and colleagues François Truffaut, Jacques Rivette, Claude Chabrol, and Éric Rohmer (who was also the group’s elder statesman) shared a catholic love of movies.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2022
But his photography is at the heart of his catholic creativity.
—Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 9 June 2022
Noun
Jewish law and certain religious organizations, like the Catholic Church, aren’t in favor of the process , but the way Americans are growing more secular and less religious plays into the appeal of NOR, too.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2024
Beginning in the third grade, her parents sent her across the border into the U.S. to attend Catholic School.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2024
Congratulations once more to Brady Sandlin of Guerin Catholic High School, last week's IndyStar Student of the Week.
—Joe Mutascio, The Indianapolis Star, 22 Apr. 2024
Like the boys, the girls program had never won a section title dating back to Marian Catholic.
—Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2024
His German Jewish father fled before the war to escape the Nazis, and his Roman Catholic Polish mother fled after the war to escape the Soviets.
—Maureen Dowd, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
However, Hispanics aren’t a demographic the Catholic Church can take for granted, said Michele Dillon, a professor of sociology at the University of New Hampshire.
—USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2024
In 2018, Kaufman guided O’Dowd to a 12-2 season that culminated with a victory over Marin Catholic in the North Coast Section Division II final.
—Darren Sabedra, The Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2024
This Roman Catholic church broke ground for its new church in April of 2021 and just opened with an April 6 dedication ceremony.
—Cathy Kozlowicz, Journal Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'catholic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near catholic
Cite this Entry
“Catholic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catholic. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
catholic
1 of 2 adjective
cath·o·lic
ˈkath-(ə-)lik 
1
2
: broad in sympathies, tastes, or interests
a catholic taste in music
Catholicism
noun
kə-ˈthäl-ə-ˌsiz-əm
Catholic
2 of 2 noun2
: a member of the Roman Catholic church
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