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Catholic Church

American  

noun

Roman Catholic Church.
  1. a visible society of baptized Christians professing the same faith under the authority of the invisible head (Christ) and the authority of the visible head (the pope and the bishops in communion with him).


Catholic Church British  

noun

  1. short for Roman Catholic Church

  2. any of several Churches claiming to have maintained continuity with the ancient and undivided Church

"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

Catholic Church Cultural  
  1. A common abbreviation for the name of the Roman Catholic Church.


Etymology

Origin of Catholic Church

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In a statement, the Catholic Church, which is close to the PP, said that Castillo's story "reflects an accumulation of personal suffering and institutional failures".

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

The law has opened the floodgates for thousands of lawsuits against the Catholic Church, local governments and public school districts.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2026

The Catholic Church and its last few popes have understood only the destructive force of war.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026

Jean-Paul Vesco, the Franco-Algerian cardinal of the Catholic Church who serves as the Archbishop of Algiers, wrote in a statement.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

The Catholic Church had strict rules against necromancy, communication with the dead.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock