- catholic
- catholic [kath′ə lik, kath′lik]adj.[ME catholik < L catholicus, universal, general (in LL(Ec) & ML, orthodox, Catholic) < Gr katholikos < kata-, down, completely + holos, whole: see HOLO-]1. of general scope or value; all-inclusive; universal2. broad in sympathies, tastes, or understanding; liberal3. [often C-] of the Christian church as a whole; specif., of the ancient, undivided Christian church4. [C-] of the Christian church headed by the pope; Roman Catholic5. [C-] of any of the orthodox Christian churches, including the Roman, Greek Orthodox, Anglo-Catholic, etc., as distinguished from the Reformed or Protestant churchesn.1. [often C-] a member of the universal Christian church2. [C-] a member of any of the Catholic churches; esp., a Roman Catholiccatholically [kə thäl′i kə lē]adv.
English World dictionary. V. Neufeldt. 2014.