catholic

1 of 2

adjective

cath·​o·​lic ˈkath-lik How to pronounce catholic (audio)
ˈka-thə-
Synonyms of catholicnext
1
a
Catholic : roman catholic
Her son goes to a Catholic school.
b
often Catholic : of, relating to, or forming the church universal
c
often Catholic : 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 adverb
catholicize verb

Catholic

2 of 2

noun

Cath·​o·​lic ˈkath-lik How to pronounce Catholic (audio)
ˈka-thə-
1
: a member of a Catholic church
especially : roman catholic
2
: a person who belongs to the universal Christian church

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
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.
Adjective
The group openly mocks Jesus Christ and many Christian and Catholic traditions. Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 30 May 2026 Before Universal could make a decision about Penland, a news story emerged about Scorsese screening the film for Catholic clergy. Isaac Butler, New Yorker, 30 May 2026
Noun
Submissions started pouring in, ranging from childhood homes around the area to Marquez Charter Elementary School and Corpus Christi Catholic Church, which both sustained significant damage in the fire. Sam Mulick, Daily News, 29 May 2026 While Holman was able to run this season, tendinitis in her left foot at the beginning of the outdoor season kept her from jumping until May 6 in the East Suburban Catholic Conference Meet at Marian Catholic in Chicago Heights. Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for catholic

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 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of catholic was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Catholic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catholic. Accessed 31 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

catholic

1 of 2 adjective
cath·​o·​lic ˈkath-(ə-)lik How to pronounce catholic (audio)
1
capitalized
a
: of or relating to the Christian church as a whole
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
2
: a member of the Roman Catholic church

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