roman

[ raw-mahn ]
See synonyms for roman on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural ro·mans [raw-mahn]. /rɔˈmɑ̃/. French.
  1. a metrical narrative, especially in medieval French literature.

  2. a novel.

Origin of roman

1
First recorded in 1560–80; from Middle French, French roman; see origin at romance1

Other definitions for Roman (2 of 2)

Roman
[ roh-muhn ]

adjective
  1. of or relating to the ancient or modern city of Rome, or to its inhabitants and their customs and culture: Roman restaurants.

  2. of or relating to the ancient kingdom, republic, and empire whose capital was the city of Rome.

  1. of a kind or character regarded as typical of the ancient Romans: Roman virtues.

  2. (usually lowercase) designating or pertaining to the upright style of printing types most commonly used in modern books, periodicals, etc., of which the main text of this dictionary is an example.

  3. of or relating to the Roman Catholic Church.

  4. noting, pertaining to, or resembling the architecture of ancient Rome, especially the public and religious architecture, characterized by the employment of massive brick and concrete construction, with such features as the semicircular arch, the dome, and groin and barrel vaults, by the use in interiors of marble and molded stucco revetments, by the elaboration of the Greek orders as purely decorative motifs for the adornment of façades and interiors, and by an overall effect in which simplicity and grandeur of massing is often combined with much elaboration of detailing.

  5. written in or pertaining to Roman numerals.

noun
  1. a native, inhabitant, or citizen of ancient or modern Rome.

  2. the dialect of Italian spoken in Rome.

  1. (usually lowercase) roman type or lettering.

  2. Disparaging. a member of the Roman Catholic Church.

  3. Rare. the Latin language.

  4. a male given name.

Origin of Roman

2
before 900; <Latin Rōmānus (see Rome, -an); replacing Middle English Romain<Old French <Latin, as above; replacing Old English Roman(e) <Latin, as above

Other words from Roman

  • an·ti-Ro·man, adjective, noun
  • non-Ro·man, adjective, noun
  • post-Ro·man, adjective
  • pre-Ro·man, adjective, noun
  • pro-Ro·man, adjective, noun
  • pseu·do-Ro·man, adjective, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use roman in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for roman (1 of 3)

roman1

/ (ˈrəʊmən) /


adjective
  1. of, relating to, or denoting a vertical style of printing type: the usual form of type for most printed matter: Compare italic

noun
  1. roman type or print

Origin of roman

1
C16: so called because the style of letters is that used in ancient Roman inscriptions

British Dictionary definitions for roman (2 of 3)

roman2

/ (French rɔmɑ̃) /


noun
  1. a metrical narrative in medieval French literature derived from the chansons de geste

British Dictionary definitions for Roman (3 of 3)

Roman

/ (ˈrəʊmən) /


adjective
  1. of or relating to Rome or its inhabitants in ancient or modern times

  2. of or relating to Roman Catholicism or the Roman Catholic Church

  1. denoting, relating to, or having the style of architecture used by the ancient Romans, characterized by large-scale masonry domes, barrel vaults, and semicircular arches

noun
  1. a citizen or inhabitant of ancient or modern Rome

  2. informal short for Roman Catholic

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with roman

roman

see when in Rome do as the Romans do.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.