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

With help from a basketball scholarship, he majored in biology at Seattle University, a Roman Catholic school.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

The land was owned for decades by the Little Sisters of the Poor, a group of Roman Catholic nuns providing elder care.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

Pope Leo, the first American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, told journalists outside his residence in Castel Gandolfo: "Today... there was this threat against all the people of Iran, and this is truly unacceptable."

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

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

The third of four children, I had been preceded to a neighborhood Roman Catholic school by an older brother and sister.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez