Catholic

[kath-uh-lik, kath-lik]

adjective

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.

noun

a member of a Catholic church, especially of the Roman Catholic Church.

Origin of Catholic

1300–50; Middle English; special uses of catholic

Related formsan·ti-Cath·o·lic, adjective, nounnon-Cath·o·lic, adjective, nounpro-Cath·o·lic, adjective, nounpseu·do-Cath·o·lic, adjective, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for non-catholic

Contemporary Examples of non-catholic

But the order was not followed in non-Catholic countries, causing the Jesuits to continue in Russia and its territories.
Pope Francis Is a Jesuit: Seven Things You Need to Know About the Society of Jesus
Caroline Linton
March 14, 2013

Historical Examples of non-catholic

Look, too, at the educated intellect of the non-Catholic world to-day.
Donahoe's Magazine, Volume 15, No. 1, January 1886
Various
The work is done as well as we could expect from a non-Catholic author.
Catholic World, Vol. XI, April 1870-September 1870
Various
All these religious scenes have greatly impressed non-Catholic soldiers.
The Irish on the Somme
Michael MacDonagh
Poison-thought has eaten the vitals of non-catholic sectaries.
The Young Priest's Keepsake
Michael Phelan
All non-catholic preachers were banished; thirty thousand families, who preferred exile to a change of their religion, emigrated.
Historical View of the Languages and Literature of the Slavic Nations
Therese Albertine Louise von Jacob Robinson

British Dictionary definitions for non-catholic

non-Catholic

adjective

not of or relating to the Roman Catholic Church

noun

a person who does not practise Roman Catholicism

catholic

adjective

universal; relating to all men; all-inclusive

comprehensive in interests, tastes, etc; broad-minded; liberal

Derived Formscatholically or catholicly (kəˈθɒlɪklɪ), adverb

Word Origin for catholic

C14: from Latin catholicus, from Greek katholikos universal, from katholou in general, from kata- according to + holos whole

Catholic

adjective Christianity

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

noun

a member of any of the Churches regarded as Catholic, esp the Roman Catholic 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

Word Origin and History for non-catholic

Catholic

"member of the Roman Catholic church," 1560s, from Catholic (adj.).

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.