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

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Etymology

Origin of Catholicism

First recorded in 1600–10; Catholic + -ism

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Catholicism

Vance converted to Catholicism in 2019, then in his mid-30s, and has described how the Church resonated with his family and social values and his conservative politics.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

It recognises Protestantism and Catholicism as official religions, but practising organisations must register with the government -- something many Christians feel yields an unacceptable amount of control over church affairs and teachings.

From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026

At the same time, Vice President JD Vance has been laying the groundwork for his own run by releasing “Communion,” a book focused on his religious faith and conversion to Catholicism.

From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026

The personal struggle and public fight against Lineage has rekindled her Catholicism, the 52-year-old said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026

By the eleventh century CE, Christianity in the form of Catholicism was the dominant religion in Europe, and church leaders held a great deal of political power.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

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