roman

UK: /ˈrəʊmən/

US: /ˈroʊmən/

US: 'Roman': (rō′mən); 'roman': (rô män′)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ro•man  (rô män′), n., pl. -mans (-män′). [French.]

1. Foreign Terms, Literature a metrical narrative, esp. in medieval French literature.
2. Foreign Terms, Literature a novel.

Ro•man  (rō′mən), adj. 

1. Language Varieties, Place Names of or pertaining to the ancient or modern city of Rome, or to its inhabitants and their customs and culture:
   Roman restaurants.
2. Place Names, Language Varieties of or pertaining to the ancient kingdom, republic, and empire whose capital was the city of Rome.
3. of a kind or character regarded as typical of the ancient Romans:
   Roman virtues.
4. Printing (usually l.c.) designating or pertaining to the upright style of printing types most commonly used in modern books, periodicals, etc., of which the main text of this dictionary is an example.
5. Religion of or pertaining to the Roman Catholic Church.
6. Architecture noting, pertaining to, or resembling the architecture of ancient Rome, esp. the public and religious architecture, characterized by the employment of massive brick and concrete construction, with such features as the semicircular arch, the dome, and groin and barrel vaults, by the use in interiors of marble and molded stucco revetments, by the elaboration of the Greek orders as purely decorative motifs for the adornment of façades and interiors, and by an overall effect in which simplicity and grandeur of massing is often combined with much elaboration of detailing.
7. written in or pertaining to Roman numerals.

n. 

8. Place Names, Language Varieties a native, inhabitant, or citizen of ancient or modern Rome.
9. Language Varieties the dialect of Italian spoken in Rome.
10. (usually l.c.) roman type or lettering.
11. Slang Terms [Often Offensive.] a member of the Roman Catholic Church.
12. Language Varieties [Rare.] the Latin language.
13. a male given name.

• Latin, as above
• Latin, as above; replacing Old English Roman(e)
• Old French
• Latin Rōmānus (see Rome, -an); replacing Middle English Romain
• bef. 900

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

roman / ˈrəʊmən/ adjective

1. of, relating to, or denoting a vertical style of printing type: the usual form of type for most printed matter
   Compare italic

noun

1. roman type or print

Etymology: 16th Century: so called because the style of letters is that used in ancient Roman inscriptions

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

Ro•man /ˈroʊmən/   adj. 

1. Language Varieties of or relating to the city of Rome, or to its inhabitants.
2. Printing [usually: roman] naming or relating to printing types that point straight up.
3. Religion of or relating to the Roman Catholic Church.
4. written in or relating to Roman numerals.

n. 

5. Place Names, Language Varieties [countable] a native, inhabitant, or citizen of Rome.
6. roman type or lettering:
   [usually: roman* uncountable] printed in roman, not in italics.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Roman / ˈrəʊmən/ adjective

1. of or relating to Rome or its inhabitants in ancient or modern times
2. of or relating to Roman Catholicism or the Roman Catholic Church

noun

1. a citizen or inhabitant of ancient or modern Rome
2. 
   short for Roman Catholic