catholic

See also: Catholic

English

Etymology

From Old French catholique, from Latin catholicus, from Ancient Greek καθολικός (katholikós), from κατά (katá, “according to”) + ὅλος (hólos, “whole”)

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈkaθ(ə)lɪk/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈkæθ(ə)lɪk/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æθəlɪk, -æθlɪk
• Hyphenation: cath‧o‧lic

Adjective

catholic (comparative more catholic, superlative most catholic)

1. Universal; all-encompassing.
   • 1946, Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, I.29:

     Essentially, and in idea, the empire, in the minds of the Romans, was world-wide. This conception descended to the Church, which was ‘Catholic’ in spite of Buddhists, Confucians, and (later) Muhammadans.

2. Pertaining to all kinds of people and their range of tastes, proclivities etc.; liberal.

   He has catholic tastes.

3. Alternative letter-case form of Catholic

Synonyms

• universal