Roman Catholic

1 of 2

noun

: a member of the Roman Catholic Church

Roman Catholic

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or being a Christian church having a hierarchy of priests and bishops under the pope, a liturgy centered in the Mass, veneration of the Virgin Mary and saints, clerical celibacy, and a body of dogma including transubstantiation and papal infallibility

Examples of Roman Catholic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Last year alone saw a 30% increase in the number of pilgrims, though that was probably due to both Acutis’ canonization and the Roman Catholic Church’s jubilee year in 2025, which brought some 33 million pilgrims to Rome, many of whom also traveled on to Assisi. —Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026

Viganò, who is the Vatican’s former ambassador to the United States, was excommunicated in 2024 for refusing to recognize Pope Francis’ authority and rejecting the Second Vatican Council that modernized the Roman Catholic Church. —Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026

Mother Cabrini died at Columbus Hospital in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood on Dec. 22, 1917, and became the first U.S. citizen to be canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church in 1946. —Adam Harrington, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026

The access was the result of a recent court order that ruled Roman Catholic clergy members be allowed to minister to detainees at the Broadview facility on the day of prayer, which marks the start of Lent — the most penitential season of the year for Catholics and many other Christians. —Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1581, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1614, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

Roman Catholic

adjective

: of or relating to the body of Christians having levels of authority under the pope, a liturgy centered in the Mass, and a body of beliefs laid down by the church as the only interpreter of revealed truth

Roman Catholic noun

Roman Catholicism noun