Roman Catholic

American  

adjective

1. of or relating to the Roman Catholic Church.

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noun

1. a member of the Roman Catholic Church.

Roman Catholic British  

adjective

1. of or relating to the Roman Catholic Church

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noun

1. a member of this Church

Etymology

Origin of Roman Catholic

First recorded in 1595–1605

Compare meaning

How does roman-catholic compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Eastern Orthodox vs. Roman Catholic

Example Sentences

Belarus released a prominent ethnic-Polish journalist, Andrzej Poczobut, along with a Roman Catholic monk and a third unnamed person with ties to Poland, in addition to two alleged intelligence agents from Moldova.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

One graduate student, Patrick, is a devoted Roman Catholic, unquestioning in his faith.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

But even if you don’t believe any of that, Leo is the head of the Roman Catholic Church, the largest organization on Earth spreading that message of absolution through belief.

From Salon • Apr. 18, 2026

At Massapequa's St Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church, which has a high percentage of cop and first responder parishioners, Rev Gerard Gentleman noted how the community moved quickly from shock to generosity and empathy.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

The early sixteenth century was a bad time for the Roman Catholic Church and its allied heads of state in Europe.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall