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

See Examples For:

Roman Catholic

Adhering to a strict interpretation of Roman Catholic tradition, the society holds masses in Latin celebrated by priests with their backs turned to the congregation.

From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026

He was entering his first year of sixth form at the local Roman Catholic comprehensive, when he joined Harrington's A-Level English class.

From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026

Joyce’s works had never been placed on the Vatican’s Index of Forbidden Books, but for decades after independence in 1922 they and countless others met opposition from the Roman Catholic Church.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026

One graduate student, Patrick, is a devoted Roman Catholic, unquestioning in his faith.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2026

The religious difference—he is Roman Catholic, she is Jewish—posed no problem.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times