Catholic
/ˈkæθəlɪk/
adjectivenounC2
Definition
As an adjective, "catholic" means universal or including a wide variety of things, ideas, or people. It describes something very broad and open to many kinds or styles. As a noun, "Catholic" means a person who belongs to the Roman Catholic Church, the largest Christian church led by the Pope.
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⚡ See It in Action
Adjective: Including many different kinds; broad or universal
- •She has catholic tastes in music, enjoying everything from jazz to rock.
- •His interests are catholic, covering art, science, and sports.
- •The library's collection is catholic, with books from many countries.
Noun: A member of the Roman Catholic Church
- •He is a devout Catholic who attends church every Sunday.
- •Many Catholics celebrate Christmas with special traditions.
- •The Catholic Church is one of the oldest Christian institutions.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "catholic" like "all" or "many" (A1 words), but used in a special, formal way to mean very wide or general
- ✓Picture a big basket that holds many different kinds of fruit — apples, bananas, grapes — all together in one place
- ✓It's the feeling of being open to many ideas or tastes, not just one or two
- ✓Sounds like "CATH-uh-lick" → imagine a cat with many colors and patterns, showing variety and diversity
- ✓Remember the word "Catholic" in history and religion, referring to the large church with many followers worldwide
- ✓NOT like "narrow" (small or limited), "catholic" means broad and wide-ranging
- ✓NOT like "Protestant" (another Christian group), "Catholic" is specific to the Roman Catholic Church
- ✓As an adjective, NOT like "exclusive" (only one type), "catholic" means including many types
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Universal: including or covering all or most things (Use when emphasizing worldwide or all-inclusive meaning)
- •Broad: wide in range or scope (Use when talking about variety or range)
- •Roman Catholic: a member of the Catholic Church (Use when meaning the religious group specifically)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: From Greek "katholikos" meaning "universal" or "general"
- •Etymology: Greek "katholikos" from "kata" (according to) + "holos" (whole), meaning "according to the whole"
- •Historical development: Used first in Christian church to mean universal church; later also used as adjective meaning broad or general
- •Modern usage: Used in religion to mean members of the Catholic Church; also an adjective meaning broad, open, or inclusive
💭 Reflect & Connect
•How can having a catholic taste in food or music help you learn about different cultures?
•Why do you think the word "catholic" came to mean both a religious group and a broad, open idea?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.She has a catholic taste in books, so she reads both novels and ___.
2.The term catholic, as an adjective, means including a ___ range of things.
3.As a noun, a Catholic is someone who follows the ___ Church.
4.His interests are catholic, which means he enjoys many different ___.
5.The Catholic Church is led by the ___ in Rome.
6.When someone has catholic tastes, they are not ___ to one style or type.
7.Many Catholics celebrate holidays like Christmas and ___.