the Christian Church over which the pope presides, with administrative headquarters in the Vatican
Also called: Catholic Church, Church of Rome
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ˈRo•man ˈCath•o•lic ˈChurch, n. [proper noun* usually: the + ~]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Religionthe Christian church of which the pope, or bishop of Rome, is the supreme head.
Ro′man Cath′olic Church′,
- Religionthe Christian church of which the pope, or bishop of Rome, is the supreme head. Cf. Catholic Church.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'Roman Catholic Church' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Aquinas
- Ave Maria
- Babylon
- Bible
- Catholic
- Catholic Church
- Catholicism
- Church of Rome
- College of Cardinals
- Counter Reformation
- Counter-Reformation
- Ember day
- Gallican
- Great Schism
- Gregorian chant
- Holy Mother
- Inquisition
- Kulturkampf
- Kyrie eleison
- Latin
- Latin Church
- Latin Rite
- Laudian
- Mass
- Newmanism
- Ninety-Five Theses
- Old Catholic
- Protestantism
- R.C.Ch.
- Reformation
- Roman
- Roman Catholic
- Roman Catholicism
- Rome
- Te Deum
- Ursuline
- Vatican City
- Waldenses
- Western Church
- basilica
- canon
- canon law
- catholic
- catholicity
- church
- cisalpine
- conclave
- consecration
- curia
- de fide