noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˈkæθ(ə)lɪk ˈt͡ʃɜːt͡ʃ/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ˈkæθ(ə)lɪk ˈt͡ʃɝt͡ʃ/
1
noun
Meaning 1
The Catholic Church, which consists of 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The Catholic Church is the largest Christian church, comprising almost half of all Christians in the world.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Roman Catholic Church
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Literally "universal church", the whole body of Christendom, especially before the division into Western and Eastern churches.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Any of the independent Catholic Churches, such as the Old Catholic Church, the Polish National Catholic Church, or the Orthodox Catholic Church.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
Any Christian denomination that identifies explicitly as "Catholic" based on its affirmation of the Nicene Creed, such as any of the Anglican Churches.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
any of several churches claiming to have maintained historical continuity with the original Christian Church
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: church, Christian church
Narrower terms: Roman Catholic, Western Church, Roman Catholic Church, Church of Rome, Roman Church, Old Catholic Church, Eastern Church, Byzantine Church, Orthodox Church, Orthodox Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox, Uniat Church, Uniate Church
History
Etymology
No etymology was provided for this word.
Across languages
Translations
92 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Afrikaans:
Katolieke Kerk
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Albanian:
Kisha Katolike
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Amharic:
ካቶሊክ ቤተ ክርስቲያን
(katolik betä kərsətiyan)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Arabic:
الكَنِيسَة الكَاثُولِيكِيَّة
(al-kanīsa l-kāṯūlīkiyya)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Armenian:
Կաթոլիկ եկեղեցի
(Katʻolik ekeġecʻi)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Azerbaijani:
Katolik kilsəsi
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Basque:
Eliza Katolikoa
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Belarusian:
Каталіцкая Царква
(Katalickaja Carkva)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Bengali:
ক্যাথলিক চার্চ
(kêtholik carco)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Breton:
Iliz katolik
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Bulgarian:
Католическа църква
(Katoličeska cǎrkva)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Catalan:
Església Catòlica
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Cebuano:
Simbahang Katoliko
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Chinese Cantonese:
天主教會 /天主教会
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Chinese:
天主教會 /天主教会
(Thian-chú-kàu-hōe)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Chinese Mandarin:
天主教會 /天主教会
(Tiānzhǔ Jiàohuì)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Czech:
katolická církev
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Danish:
katolske kirke
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Dutch:
Katholieke Kerk
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Esperanto:
Katolika Eklesio
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Estonian:
Katoliku kirik
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Faroese:
katólska kirkjan
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Finnish:
katolinen kirkko
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
French:
Église catholique
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Galician:
Igrexa católica
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Georgian:
კათოლიკური ეკლესია
(ḳatoliḳuri eḳlesia)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
German:
Katholische Kirche
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Greek:
Καθολική Εκκλησία
(Katholikí Ekklisía)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Hebrew:
הכנסייה הקתולית
(ha-knesiá ha-qatólit)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Hindi:
कैथोलिक कलीसिया
(kaitholik kalīsiyā)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Hungarian:
katolikus egyház
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Icelandic:
Kaþólska kirkjan
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Ido:
Katolik eklesio
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Indonesian:
Gereja Katolik
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Irish:
Eaglais Chaitliceach
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Italian:
Chiesa cattolica
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Japanese:
カトリック教会
(Katorikku Kyōkai)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Kashubian:
Katolëcczi Kòscół
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Kazakh:
Католиктік шіркеу
(Katoliktık şırkeu)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Korean:
가톨릭교회
(gatollikgyohoe)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Korean:
천주교
(cheonjugyo)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Latin:
Ecclesia Catholica
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Latvian:
Katoļu baznīca
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Lithuanian:
Katalikų Bažnyčia
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Low German:
Kathoolsche Kark
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Luxembourgish:
Kathoulesch Kierch
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Macedonian:
католичка црква
(katolička crkva)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Malagasy:
Fiangonana katolika
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Malagasy:
Eglizy Katolika
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Malay:
Gereja Katolik
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Malayalam:
കത്തോലിക്കാ സഭ
(kattōlikkā sabha)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Maltese:
Knisja Kattolika
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Marathi:
कॅथलिक चर्च
(kĕthlik carca)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Navajo:
Ééʼ neishoodii
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Nepali:
क्याथोलिक चर्च
(kyātholik carca)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Norwegian Bokmål:
Den katolske kirke
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Norwegian Nynorsk:
Den katolske kyrkja
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Occitan:
Glèisa Catolica
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Persian:
کلیسای کاتولیک
(kelisâi kâtolik)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Polish:
Kościół katolicki
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Portuguese:
Igreja Católica
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Punjabi:
ਕੈਥੋਲਿਕ ਚਰਚ
(kaitholik carac)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Romanian:
Biserică Catolică
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Romansh:
Baselgia catolica
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Russian:
Католи́ческая це́рковь
(Katolíčeskaja cérkovʹ)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Scottish Gaelic:
Eaglais Chaitligeach
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Serbo-Croatian:
Католичка црква
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Serbo-Croatian:
Katolička Cȓkva
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Slovak:
Katolícka cirkev
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Slovene:
Katoliška cerkev
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Spanish:
Iglesia católica
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Swahili:
Kanisa Katoliki
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Swedish:
katolska kyrkan
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Tagalog:
Simbahang Katolika
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Tamil:
கத்தோலிக்க திருச்சபை
(kattōlikka tiruccapai)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Telugu:
కాథలిక్ చర్చి
(kāthalik carci)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Thai:
พระศาสนจักรคาทอลิก
(prá-sàat-sà-ná-jàk-kaa-tɔɔ-lìk)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Turkish:
Katolik Kilisesi
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Ukrainian:
Като́ли́цька церква
(Katólýcʹka cerkva)
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Vietnamese:
Giáo hội Công giáo
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Volapük:
Glüg Katulik
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Welsh:
Eglwys Gatholig
— 24 particular churches in full communion with the Pope as the Bishop of Rome
Finnish:
katolinen kirkko
— the whole body of Christendom before the division into Western and Eastern churches
Finnish:
yhtenäinen kirkko
— the whole body of Christendom before the division into Western and Eastern churches
Irish:
Eaglais Chaitliceach
— the whole body of Christendom before the division into Western and Eastern churches
Polish:
Kościół katolicki
— the whole body of Christendom before the division into Western and Eastern churches
Romanian:
Biserică Catolică
— the whole body of Christendom before the division into Western and Eastern churches
Finnish:
katolinen kirkko
— any of the independent Catholic Churches
Irish:
Eaglais Chaitliceach
— any of the independent Catholic Churches
Polish:
Kościół katolicki
— any of the independent Catholic Churches
Irish:
Eaglais Chaitliceach
— any Christian denomination that identifies explicitly as "Catholic"
Polish:
Kościół katolicki
— any Christian denomination that identifies explicitly as "Catholic"
