Roman Catholic

American  

adjective

1. of or relating to the Roman Catholic Church.

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noun

1. a member of the Roman Catholic Church.

Roman Catholic British  

adjective

1. of or relating to the Roman Catholic Church

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noun

1. a member of this Church

Etymology

Origin of Roman Catholic

First recorded in 1595–1605

Compare meaning

How does roman-catholic compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Eastern Orthodox vs. Roman Catholic

Example Sentences

He wanted to offer Holy Communion, the central sacrament of Roman Catholic faith, not only to the detainees inside the facility, but also to the federal agents stationed there.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

According to the last census, more than 90 percent of Croatia's 3.8 million people are ethnic Croats, while about 80 percent are Roman Catholic.

From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026

In 1274, the Roman Catholic Church questioned the order's legitimacy because it had been founded after 1215 and lacked a continuous presence dating back to late antiquity.

From Science Daily • Feb. 2, 2026

While Tolkien had been Roman Catholic since childhood, Lewis converted to Christianity in 1931 under Tolkien’s influence.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 22, 2026

The early sixteenth century was a bad time for the Roman Catholic Church and its allied heads of state in Europe.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall