Etymologically
Log in

catholicus

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 23 October 2026 at 15:09. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [kaˈtʰɔ.lɪ.kʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [kaˈtɔː.li.kus][1]

Forms

catholicus (feminine catholica, neuter catholicum, comparative catholicior, superlative catholicissimus); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek καθολικός (katholikós, “general, universal”),[1][2][3][4] from καθόλου (kathólou, “on the whole, in general”), a phrase made of κατά (katá, “according to”) and ὅλος (hólos, “whole”).[1][4][5] Quintilian still treats the Greek word as foreign, rendering it with ūniversālis and perpetuālis.[2][3] Isidore of Seville explains it as “universal or general”.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Pliny the Elder has the neuter plural as a noun, catholica, “general rules, universals” (of stars and lightning).[3][4]

Semantic evolution

In grammarians and medical writers it means “general, universal”, and Tertullian speaks of God's catholica et summa bonitās, his universal and highest goodness.[6][2][3] The Church writers use it of the Church as universal and so of what agrees with its doctrine, “orthodox”, as opposed to heretics;[3][6][7] as a noun it named an orthodox Christian, from Hilary of Poitiers onwards.[4] The superlative catholicissimus “most orthodox” appears in Augustine.[6] In Medieval Latin it describes the Church, the faith, rules and persons, and as a noun catholica the Church itself.[8][7][9]

Timeline

  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses the neuter plural for general rules.[3][4]
  • c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian speaks of God's universal goodness.[6][2][4]
  • c. 315–367/368 AD – Hilary of Poitiers uses it as a noun, “orthodox believer”.[4]
  • 354–430 AD – Augustine has the superlative catholicissimus.[6][4]
  • c. 680 AD – Aldhelm writes of the catholica ecclēsia.[8]
  • mid-14th century – Borrowed into English, through French, as catholic.[5]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. universal, general, relating to all;[2][3][6] (neuter plural as noun) general rules.[2][3][6]
  2. (Ecclesiastical Latin) catholic, of the universal Church; orthodox, agreeing with its doctrine.[10][7][3]
  3. (Ecclesiastical Latin, as noun) An orthodox Christian;[4][8] (feminine) the Catholic Church.[4][8]

Word family

  • catholicum
  • incatholicus

Usage notes

In verse the first syllable is long in Damasus, Prudentius and Sidonius Apollinaris.[6] Inscriptions also spell it catolicus.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  7. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  8. ^ a b c d Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  9. ^ Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  10. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson