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Catholic

//ˈkæ.θ(ə.)lɪk// adj, noun

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Universal; all-encompassing.

    "The church is catholic, universal, so are all her actions; all that she does, belongs to all."

  2. 2
    Of the Western Christian church, as differentiated from e.g. the Orthodox church.

    "Christmas is celebrated at different dates in the Catholic and Orthodox calendars."

  3. 3
    Alternative letter-case form of Catholic. alt-of
  4. 4
    Of the Western Christian church, as differentiated from e.g. the Orthodox church.; Of the Roman Catholic church in particular.

    "The Church of the Sacred Heart is a Catholic one."

  5. 5
    Common or prevalent; especially universally prevalent. obsolete
Show 4 more definitions
  1. 6
    Alternative letter-case form of catholic. alt-of
  2. 7
    Embracing all. usually

    ""I've got catholic tastes. Catholic with a small "c", of course.""

  3. 8
    Universally applicable. obsolete
  4. 9
    Of universal human interest or use.

    "And as the whole booke of Psalmes is Oleum efjusum, (as the Spouse speaks of the name of Christ) an Oyntment powred out upon all sorts of sores, A Searcloth that souples all bruises, A Balme that searches all wounds; so are there some certaine Psalmes, that are Imperiall Psalmes, that command over all affections, and spread themselves over all occasions, Catholique, universall Psalmes, that apply themselves to all necessities."

Adjective
  1. 1
    free from provincial prejudices or attachments wordnet
  2. 2
    of or relating to or supporting Catholicism wordnet
Noun
  1. 1
    A member of a Catholic (western Christian) church.
  2. 2
    a member of a Catholic church wordnet
  3. 3
    A member of a Catholic (western Christian) church.; A member of the Roman Catholic Church (which is also elliptically called the Catholic Church). ellipsis, often

    "The wife of the Prime Minister is a Catholic."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Old French catholique, from Latin catholicus, from Ancient Greek καθολικός (katholikós, “universal”), from κατά (katá, “according to”) + ὅλος (hólos, “whole”).

Etymology 2

From Old French catholique, from Latin catholicus, from Ancient Greek καθολικός (katholikós, “universal”), from κατά (katá, “according to”) + ὅλος (hólos, “whole”).

Etymology 3

From Old French catholique, from Latin catholicus, from Ancient Greek καθολικός (katholikós, “universal”), from κατά (katá, “according to”) + ὅλος (hólos, “whole”).

See also for "catholic"

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