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

• unlimited
• general
• unrestricted

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

The boys were students at St. Aquinas High School, a private catholic school in Fort Lauderdale, which held a prayer service for the crash victims on Monday. —Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 24 June 2025

Modern popes have traveled extensively after their elections, something truly catholic in the original meaning of the word. —Emmett Coyne, The Hill, 23 May 2025

Noun

As the Catholic archdiocese hunts for ways to contract, it’s been shedding churches wholesale and having no trouble finding buyers that are tuned to the doings — or undoing — of religious organizations. —Justin Davidson, Curbed, 27 June 2025

Pham, a refugee from Vietnam, is the first U.S. Catholic bishop appointed by Pope Leo XIV. —Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 June 2025

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