Catholic
[kath-uh-lik, kath-lik]
- of or relating to a Catholic church, especially the Roman Catholic Church.
- Theology.
- (among Roman Catholics) claiming to possess exclusively the notes or characteristics of the one, only, true, and universal church having unity, visibility, indefectibility, apostolic succession, universality, and sanctity: used in this sense, with these qualifications, only by the Church of Rome, as applicable only to itself and its adherents and to their faith and organization; often qualified, especially by those not acknowledging these claims, by prefixing the word Roman.
- (among Anglo-Catholics) noting or pertaining to the conception of the church as the body representing the ancient undivided Christian witness, comprising all the orthodox churches that have kept the apostolic succession of bishops, and including the Anglican Church, the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, Church of Sweden, the Old Catholic Church (in the Netherlands and elsewhere), etc.
- pertaining to the Western Church.
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- a member of a Catholic church, especially of the Roman Catholic Church.
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Origin of Catholic
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for anti-catholic
Historical Examples
It was known that the King was strong in his anti-Catholic propensities.
A History of England, Period III.Rev. J. Franck Bright
The question was taken up by Peel, hitherto an anti-Catholic.
London and the Kingdom - Volume IIIReginald R. Sharpe
At any moment of anti-Catholic excitement he might be arrested and clapped into prison.
English Travellers of the RenaissanceClare Howard
It developed strong religious prejudices, and was marked by the memorable anti-Catholic riots in Philadelphia.
So far, however, they have failed to stir up an anti-Catholic movement in Peru.
The Friars in the PhilippinesAmbrose Coleman
anti-Catholic
- opposed to the beliefs, practices, and adherents of the Roman Catholic Church
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- someone opposed to the Roman Catholic Church and its adherentshe called him an anti-Catholic
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catholic
- universal; relating to all men; all-inclusive
- comprehensive in interests, tastes, etc; broad-minded; liberal
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Word Origin
C14: from Latin catholicus, from Greek katholikos universal, from katholou in general, from kata- according to + holos whole
Catholic
- denoting or relating to the entire body of Christians, esp to the Church before separation into the Greek or Eastern and Latin or Western Churches
- denoting or relating to the Latin or Western Church after this separation
- denoting or relating to the Roman Catholic Church
- denoting or relating to any church, belief, etc, that claims continuity with or originates in the ancient undivided Church
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- a member of any of the Churches regarded as Catholic, esp the Roman Catholic Church
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for anti-catholic
Catholic
n.
"member of the Roman Catholic church," 1560s, from Catholic (adj.).
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catholic
adj.
mid-14c., "of the doctrines of the ancient Church," literally "universally accepted," from French catholique, from Church Latin catholicus "universal, general," from Greek katholikos, from phrase kath' holou "on the whole, in general," from kata "about" + genitive of holos "whole" (see safe (adj.)). Applied to the Church in Rome c.1554, after the Reformation began. General sense of "of interest to all, universal" is from 1550s.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper