Roman

1 of 3

noun (1)

Ro·​man ˈrō-mən How to pronounce Roman (audio)
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
not capitalized : 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
b
: of or relating to the Latin alphabet
3
not capitalized : 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 How to pronounce roman (audio)
: a metrical romance

Examples of Roman in a Sentence

Noun (1) The type should be set in roman.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of Roman was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near Roman

Cite this Entry

“Roman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Roman. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

Roman

1 of 2 noun
Ro·​man ˈrō-mən How to pronounce Roman (audio)
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
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!