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
1
: a member of a Catholic church
especially
: roman catholic
2
: a person who belongs to the universal Christian church
Synonyms
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
Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 14 July 2023
Aclose friend, an art historian with good, catholic taste, sent me a text message from the high-end opening of the Armory Show.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 15 Sep. 2022
Only God can enlighten the hearts of the faithful to preserve us in the profession of the same catholic faith.
—Fr. Goran Jovicic, National Review, 13 June 2021
These catholic tastes are unusual, especially since herpesviruses usually stick to one specific host.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 16 Aug. 2012
Play is the substrate of autoconstrucción and its driving force, even as Cruzvillegas alternately breaks up and buttresses the idea with a catholic range of historical and artistic touchpoints, interests and memories.
—Christina Catherine Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2022
The opponents received the bulk of their money from Right to Life Michigan and the state's catholic conference.
—Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press, 29 Oct. 2022
Godard, along with his friends and colleagues François Truffaut, Jacques Rivette, Claude Chabrol, and Éric Rohmer (who was also the group’s elder statesman) shared a catholic love of movies.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2022
But his photography is at the heart of his catholic creativity.
—Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 9 June 2022
Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2024
But in recent decades, the Irish government and the Catholic Church in Australia have both publicly apologized for these chapters of their respective pasts, joining Catholic institutions throughout the world in grappling with centuries of abuse.
—Amanda Fortini, New York Times, 16 May 2024
Butker is a devout Catholic who speaks openly about his faith and conservative politics.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 15 May 2024
Avery vanished into thin air before buying a royal pardon and joining the writer Defoe as a spy to protect England’s crown from the threat of Catholic France, a new theory suggests.
—Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 May 2024
On Tuesday, the 5-foot-9 junior catcher lined a single up the middle to give Cathedral Catholic High School its first walk-off win of the season.
—Jim Lindgren, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 May 2024
Moreau Catholic finished 12-12. – Darren Sabedra Division V
No. 1 Berean Christian 13, No. 16 Urban 0
Berean Christian put this one away early as the Eagles scored six in the first and five in the second for an 11-0 cushion.
—Mike Lefkow, The Mercury News, 14 May 2024
Jake Heck, a senior at Guerin Catholic High School.
—Shari Rudavsky, The Indianapolis Star, 13 May 2024
The game was tied 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth when Cathedral Catholic left fielder Joseph Anderson delivered with two on, two out and a two-strike count.
—John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 May 2024
Adjective
Team parents have made efforts to contact the superintendent of Archdiocese for support but got response that John Carroll is an independent catholic school.
—Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 14 July 2023
Aclose friend, an art historian with good, catholic taste, sent me a text message from the high-end opening of the Armory Show.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 15 Sep. 2022
Only God can enlighten the hearts of the faithful to preserve us in the profession of the same catholic faith.
—Fr. Goran Jovicic, National Review, 13 June 2021
These catholic tastes are unusual, especially since herpesviruses usually stick to one specific host.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 16 Aug. 2012
Play is the substrate of autoconstrucción and its driving force, even as Cruzvillegas alternately breaks up and buttresses the idea with a catholic range of historical and artistic touchpoints, interests and memories.
—Christina Catherine Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2022
The opponents received the bulk of their money from Right to Life Michigan and the state's catholic conference.
—Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press, 29 Oct. 2022
Godard, along with his friends and colleagues François Truffaut, Jacques Rivette, Claude Chabrol, and Éric Rohmer (who was also the group’s elder statesman) shared a catholic love of movies.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2022
But his photography is at the heart of his catholic creativity.
—Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 9 June 2022
Noun
California Saying the stakes could not be higher, Newsom to speak at Vatican climate summit
April 29, 2024
After Francis’ speech, Newsom and Siebel Newsom walked along an aisle of ornate stone tiles to the front of the room, where the governor briefly spoke with the leader of the Catholic Church.
—Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2024
But in recent decades, the Irish government and the Catholic Church in Australia have both publicly apologized for these chapters of their respective pasts, joining Catholic institutions throughout the world in grappling with centuries of abuse.
—Amanda Fortini, New York Times, 16 May 2024
Butker is a devout Catholic who speaks openly about his faith and conservative politics.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 15 May 2024
Avery vanished into thin air before buying a royal pardon and joining the writer Defoe as a spy to protect England’s crown from the threat of Catholic France, a new theory suggests.
—Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 May 2024
On Tuesday, the 5-foot-9 junior catcher lined a single up the middle to give Cathedral Catholic High School its first walk-off win of the season.
—Jim Lindgren, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 May 2024
Moreau Catholic finished 12-12. – Darren Sabedra Division V
No. 1 Berean Christian 13, No. 16 Urban 0
Berean Christian put this one away early as the Eagles scored six in the first and five in the second for an 11-0 cushion.
—Mike Lefkow, The Mercury News, 14 May 2024
Jake Heck, a senior at Guerin Catholic High School.
—Shari Rudavsky, The Indianapolis Star, 13 May 2024
The game was tied 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth when Cathedral Catholic left fielder Joseph Anderson delivered with two on, two out and a two-strike count.
—John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'catholic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near catholic
Cite this Entry
“Catholic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catholic. Accessed 20 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
catholic
1 of 2 adjective
cath·o·lic
ˈkath-(ə-)lik 
1
2
: broad in sympathies, tastes, or interests
a catholic taste in music
Catholicism
noun
kə-ˈthäl-ə-ˌsiz-əm
Catholic
2 of 2 noun2
: a member of the Roman Catholic church
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share