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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The singer, who was raised Roman Catholic, said the plea was motivated by her son Rocco’s birthday. Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2025 Ashley and Krein married in 2012 On June 2, 2012, Krein and Ashley wed at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Roman Catholic Church in Greenville, Del. — the same church where Ashley was baptized. Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 12 Aug. 2025 Two years later, Ashley Biden and Krein, a plastic surgeon and ear, nose and throat doctor, married at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Roman Catholic Church, in Greenville, Del., as reported by People magazine. Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 12 Aug. 2025 Robert Prevost, a Chicago native, is the first American selected to lead the Roman Catholic Church, choosing Leo XIV as his papal name after his election on May 8. Staff Report, Oc Register, 8 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Roman Catholic

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1581, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1614, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Roman Catholic was in 1581

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Cite this Entry

“Roman Catholic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Roman%20Catholic. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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