1
: of or relating to the Roman Catholic Church
a Catholic bishop/nun/priest
My son goes to a local Catholic school. [=a school run by the Roman Catholic Church]
2
formal
: including many different things
She is a novelist who is catholic in her interests.
He has catholic tastes in art and music. [=he likes many different things in art and music]
Cite this Entry
“Catholic.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/catholic. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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