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.

---

Catholicism British  

/ kəˈθɒlɪˌsɪzəm /

noun

1. short for Roman Catholicism

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

---

Catholicism Cultural  

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

---

Other Word Forms

• anti-Catholicism noun
• pro-Catholicism noun

Etymology

Origin of Catholicism

First recorded in 1600–10; Catholic + -ism

Example Sentences

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

It is the third largest Christian denomination after Catholicism and the Eastern Orthodox Church, giving its leaders a huge platform when speaking about issues such as climate change, human rights, or efforts for global peace.

From BBC • Mar. 2, 2026

The vice president converted to Catholicism as an adult.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 20, 2026

"For me, in Catholicism, Jesus was born in a manger. He wasn't born in a tent with faceless parents, with nothing."

From Barron's • Dec. 2, 2025

Among my explorations during these months, there was one more, final venture into Catholicism.

From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston