Roman

/ˈɹəʊmən/ adj, name, noun, slang

adj, name, noun, slang ·Common ·Middle school level

Meaning at a glance

  • Primary sense: One of the main three types used for the Latin alphabet (the others being italics and blackletter), in which the ascenders are mostly straight.
  • Grammar: roman is listed as adj, name, noun, slang.
  • Nearest alternatives: ancient, ancient romans, ancient rome, ancient rome inhabitant.
  • Useful contrasts: ambrosian, gaulish, punic.
  • Usage evidence: Although 475AD is the year that shows the 'decline' of the Roman Empire, it is not the year of its 'fall'.

How to use "roman"

  1. Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
  2. Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "roman" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
  3. Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.

Meaning check

  • Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
  • Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
  • Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
  • Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?

Source and review context

This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "roman" in a final draft.

If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.

Before you rely on this definition

Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "roman" as the right word for your sentence.

If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "roman" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.

Compare nearby meanings

  • Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
  • Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
  • Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
  • Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.

Definition decision workflow

1. Identify the role

Check whether "roman" is acting as adj, name, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.

2. Test the nearest option

Compare it with "ancient" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.

3. Confirm with context

Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.

Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.

Final meaning check

Before publishing a sentence with "roman", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.

When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    One of the main three types used for the Latin alphabet (the others being italics and blackletter), in which the ascenders are mostly straight. countable, uncountable
  2. 2
    A native or resident of Rome.
  3. 3
    a typeface used in ancient Roman inscriptions wordnet
  4. 4
    Ellipsis of roman numeral. abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountable
  5. 5
    A native or resident of the Roman Empire. historical
Show 7 more definitions
  1. 6
    a resident of modern Rome wordnet
  2. 7
    A novel. archaic, countable

    "What raises One Last Waltz far above the usual family roman is not just the gimmick of the ancient fable in modern clothes […] but Mordden's language and his sheer joy at telling a story."

  3. 8
    A native or resident of the Byzantine Empire. historical

    "Kars was the capital of the small Armenian kingdom of Vanand, ruled by Gagik (the same name as the sovereign of Ani) from 1029 to 1064, when he surrendered his kingdom to the Romans. In 1053 it was taken by the Seljoukids, probably under the command of Qutlumus..."

  4. 9
    an inhabitant of the ancient Roman Empire wordnet
  5. 10
    The Roman script. uncountable

    "Sahaiʔa May Talbot was born on Feb. 15, 2014. However, on her birth certificate, her name is spelled Sahai'a because the Northwest Territories government only allows the Roman alphabet to be used on official documents."

  6. 11
    A single letter or character in Roman type. countable
  7. 12
    A Roman Catholic. dated

    "‘Is it like―I don’t know―Catholicism? One only spots the other Romans when one’s practised it oneself?’"

Adjective
  1. 1
    Upright, as opposed to italic. not-comparable

    "In some early printed Bibles quoted text is indicated by changing the font from roman to italic."

  2. 2
    Of or from Rome.
  3. 3
    Of or related to the Latin alphabet or roman numerals. not-comparable
  4. 4
    Of or from the Roman Empire. historical
  5. 5
    Of or from the Byzantine Empire. historical
Show 6 more definitions
  1. 6
    Of noble countenance but with little facial expression.

    ""Yes, I feel that I ought; and with me, to feel that I ought to do a thing, is to do it!" added he, looking quite Roman with excess of virtue."

  2. 7
    Supporting the characters of the Latin alphabet.
  3. 8
    Used to distinguish a Roman numeral from an Arabic numeral in oral discourse. colloquial

    "You will find the term defined at the end of Roman one."

  4. 9
    A font that is upright, as opposed to oblique or italic. (See roman font.)
  5. 10
    Of or pertaining to the Roman Catholic Church or the Holy See.
  6. 11
    Of a style characterised by the size and boldness of its round arches and vaults, and having baths, aqueducts, basilicas, amphitheatres, etc.
Adjective
  1. 1
    of or relating to or derived from Rome (especially ancient Rome) wordnet
  2. 2
    of or relating to or supporting Romanism wordnet
  3. 3
    characteristic of the modern type that most directly represents the type used in ancient Roman inscriptions wordnet
Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A male given name from Latin recently borrowed from continental Europe.
  2. 2
    A surname.
  3. 3
    A city in Neamț County, Romania.

Synonyms

All synonyms
ancientancient romansancient romeancient rome inhabitantancient rome inhabitantsantoninus

Antonyms

ambrosiangaulishpunicarabic notation

Example

"Although 475AD is the year that shows the 'decline' of the Roman Empire, it is not the year of its 'fall'."

Common questions

What does "roman" mean?

One of the main three types used for the Latin alphabet (the others being italics and blackletter), in which the ascenders are mostly straight.

What is a synonym for "roman"?

Common synonyms include: ancient, ancient romans, ancient rome, ancient rome inhabitant, ancient rome inhabitants, antoninus.

How do you use "roman" in a sentence?

Although 475AD is the year that shows the 'decline' of the Roman Empire, it is not the year of its 'fall'.

How do you pronounce "roman"?

Pronounced /ˈɹəʊmən/.

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Roman.

Etymology 2

From Old French Romain, from Latin Rōmānus. In reference to the Byzantine Empire, via the Byzantine Greek endonym Ῥωμαῖος (Rhōmaîos). By surface analysis, Rome + -an. Doublet of Romano.

More for "roman"

Synonyms

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