Roman

1 of 3

noun (1)

Ro·​man ˈrō-mən 

1

a

: a native or resident of Rome

b

: a citizen of ancient Rome or of the Roman Empire

2

often offensive : roman catholic

3

roman : roman letters or type

Roman

2 of 3

adjective

1

: of or relating to Rome or the people of Rome

specifically : characteristic of the ancient Romans

Roman fortitude

2

a

: latin sense 1a

b

: of or relating to the Latin alphabet

3

roman : of or relating to a type style with upright characters compare italic

4

: of or relating to the see of Rome or the Roman Catholic Church

5

: having a semicircular intrados

Roman arch

6

: having a prominent slightly aquiline bridge

a Roman nose

roman

3 of 3

noun (2)

ro·​man rō-ˈmäⁿ 

: a metrical romance

Examples of Roman in a Sentence

Noun (1)

The type should be set in roman.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Sánchez belonged to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, a Roman Catholic religious order founded in 1732 with a presence in 80 countries. — ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026

This spring, archaeologists in Croatia announced the discovery of ancient Roman graves beneath the coastal city of Zadar — revealing a burial site used for nearly 500 years. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026

Ancient Roman law, for instance, generally viewed debt negatively, and debtors could even be executed for their failure to repay. — Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026

Resilient and water-resistant, it was used in the Roman times for cisterns, amphoras, aqueducts, as well as underlayers for fresco paintings. — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026

While old shipwrecks in the area aren’t uncommon, most have dated to roughly 2,000 to 1,500 years ago, during the Roman or Byzantine eras. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2026

Masic believes that electroconductivity could be key to catalyzing a new era of concrete — more so even than his neo-Roman ventures. — Sara Herschander, Vox, 15 Oct. 2026

And in the Roman countryside, via the port of Civitavecchia, guests with Holland America Line can make the most of peak white-truffle season with a truffle-hunting and cooking excursion. — Brittany Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Oct. 2026

In 2025, Kuznietsov was arrested by Italian police in Rimini – a city in northern Italy known for its sandy beaches and Roman landmarks – and later extradited to Germany. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

partly from Middle English, from Old English, from Latin Romanus, adjective & noun, from Roma Rome; partly from Middle English Romain, from Anglo-French, from Latin Romanus

Noun (2)

French, from Old French romans romance

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1765, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing Roman

• Holy Roman Empire
• Roman blind
• Roman candle
• Roman Catholic
• Roman Catholicism
• Roman collar
• Roman holiday
• Roman law
• Roman nose
• Roman numeral
• Roman shade
• the Roman alphabet

Rhymes for Roman

• bowmen
• coman
• foeman
• foemen
• gnomon
• nomen
• omen
• showman
• showmen
• soman
• toman
• yeoman

Kids Definition

Roman

1 of 2 noun

Ro·​man ˈrō-mən 

1

a

: a person born or living in Rome

b

: a citizen of the Roman Empire

2

not capitalized : roman letters or type

Roman

2 of 2 adjective

1

: of or relating to Rome or the Romans or the empire of which Rome was the original capital

2

a

: latin entry 1 sense 2

b

: of or relating to the Latin language

3

not capitalized : of or relating to a type style with upright characters (as in "these definitions")

4

: of or relating to the Roman Catholic Church