catholic

Definitions

1. adjective

   Universal or all-encompassing.

   Examples

   • The church is catholic, universal, so are all her actions; all that she does, belongs to all.
   • 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.
   ≈universal≈catholic≈common≈ecumenical≈general +20 more
2. adjective

   Alternative letter-case form of Catholic.

   Examples

   • He was raised Catholic and attends Mass weekly.
   • The school follows Catholic teachings and traditions.
3. adjective

   Common or prevalent or especially universally prevalent.

   Examples

   • The custom was catholic across the entire region.
   • This belief was catholic among the early settlers.
4. adjective

   All-embracing.

   Examples

   • The philosophy takes a catholic view of human experience.
   • Her tastes in music are wonderfully catholic.
   ≈eclectic≈varied≈liberal≈open-minded≈catholic +31 more
5. adjective

   Universally applicable.

   Examples

   • The principle is catholic, applying to every field of study.
   • His method proved catholic across disciplines.
6. adjective

   Of universal human interest or use.

   Examples

   • The theme has catholic appeal across cultures.
   • His writing addresses catholic concerns about mortality.