# catholic

Pronunciation: say "KATH-lik" /ˈkæ.θ(ə.)lɪk/

## Adjective · Catholic

1. Of or relating to the Catholic Church, the Christian church led by the Pope, as distinct from Orthodox and Protestant churches.
   - Simple: Connected with the Catholic Church, the Christian church led by the Pope.
   - _The couple were married in a small Catholic church outside Boston._
   - _The local Catholic parish runs a food pantry every Saturday morning._

## Noun · Catholic

2. A person who is a member of a Catholic church.
   - Simple: Someone who belongs to a Catholic church.
   - _She was raised a Catholic but now rarely attends services._
   - _Catholics and Protestants worked side by side on the flood relief effort._

## Adjective

3. Including a wide range of things; broad or all-embracing, used especially of a person's tastes, interests, or sympathies, and of a collection's or study's scope.
   - Simple: Including many different kinds of things, especially when talking about someone's tastes or interests.
   - _His tastes in food are thoroughly catholic, running from street tacos to twelve-course tasting menus._
   - _She was catholic in her friendships, as much at ease with farmers as with professors._
4. Of interest or use to all people, wherever they live.
   - Simple: Interesting or useful to all people everywhere.
   - _The journal prints local studies only when their findings are of catholic interest._
   - _The museum filled its new hall with works of catholic appeal, hoping to draw visitors from every part of the world._

## Adjective

5. Common or widespread, and especially found everywhere. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Common in many places, and often found everywhere.
6. Of a medicine or remedy, applicable to every ailment or case. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Of a medicine, able to be used for any illness.

## Origin

Goes back to Ancient Greek katholikós ("universal"), from katá ("according to") and hólos ("whole"), by way of Latin catholicus and Old French catholique.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/catholic (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).