Catholicism

American  

[kuh-thol-uh-siz-uhm] / kəˈθɒl əˌsɪz əm /

noun

1. the faith, system, and practice of the Catholic Church, especially the Roman Catholic Church.

2. (lowercase) catholicity.

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Catholicism British  

/ kəˈθɒlɪˌsɪzəm /

noun

1. short for Roman Catholicism

2. the beliefs, practices, etc, of any Catholic Church

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Catholicism Cultural  

1. The beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church.

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Other Word Forms

• anti-Catholicism noun
• pro-Catholicism noun

Etymology

Origin of Catholicism

First recorded in 1600–10; Catholic + -ism

Example Sentences

And it’s not just the figure at the top that changes the dynamics: Catholicism is hot right now, at least in media coverage.

From Slate • Apr. 15, 2026

JD Vance converted to Catholicism in 2019, during a time when he was being heavily bankrolled by esoteric Catholic billionaire Peter Thiel.

From Salon • Apr. 15, 2026

Africa is home to one-fifth of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, and Catholicism is growing faster there than anywhere else.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

Philippe Orengo, Monaco's ambassador to the Holy See, said the pope was interested in visiting a country where there has been a resurgence in Catholicism in recent years.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

Maggie remembered that Elisha had at one time suggested she convert to Roman Catholicism.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock