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of or relating to a catholic church, especially the roman catholic church.
theology.

(among roman catholics) claiming to possess exclusively the notes or characteristics of the one, only, true, and universal church having unity, visibility, indefectibility, apostolic succession, universality, and sanct-ty: used in this sense, with these qualifications, only by the church of rome, as applicable only to itself and its adherents and to their faith and organization; often qualified, especially by those not acknowledging these claims, by prefixing the word roman.
(among anglo-catholics) noting or pertaining to the conception of the church as the body representing the ancient undivided christian witness, comprising all the orthodox churches that have kept the apostolic succession of bishops, and including the anglican church, the , the eastern orthodox church, church of sweden, the old (in the netherlands and elsewhere), etc.

pertaining to the western church.
a member of a catholic church, especially of the .
historical examples

the question was taken up by peel, hitherto an anti-catholic.
london and the kingdom – volume iii reginald r. sharpe

at any moment of anti-catholic excitement he might be arrested and clapped into prison.
english travellers of the renaissance clare howard

it developed strong religious prejudices, and was marked by the memorable anti-catholic riots in philadelphia.
the american jew as patriot, soldier and citizen simon wolf

so far, however, they have failed to stir up an anti-catholic movement in peru.
the friars in the philippines ambrose coleman

but few will deny that motley wrote his very attractive histories at a white heat of republican and anti-catholic fervour.
political and literary essays, 1908-1913 evelyn baring

i need not recall to your minds the anti-catholic declarations of the continental congresses.
the loyalist james francis barrett

in 1852 both whigs and democrats were forced to defend their presidential nominees against charges of anti-catholic sentiment.
encyclopaedia britannica, 11th edition, volume 15, slice 8 various

upon the fate of valenciennes had depended, as if by common agreement, the whole destiny of the anti-catholic party.
the rise of the dutch republic, volume ii.(of iii) 1566-74 john lothrop motley

they denied them because of the anti-catholic feeling inside germany which the lies had stirred up.
our part in the great war arthur gleason

thus audaciously, successfully, and hitherto without bloodshed, was the anti-catholic revolution commenced in flanders.
the rise of the dutch republic, volume iii.(of iii) 1574-84 john lothrop motley

adjective
opposed to the beliefs, practices, and adherents of the roman catholic church
noun
someone opposed to the roman catholic church and its adherents: he called him an anti-catholic
adjective
universal; relating to all men; all-inclusive
comprehensive in interests, tastes, etc; broad-minded; liberal
adjective (christianity)
denoting or relating to the entire body of christians, esp to the church before separation into the greek or eastern and latin or western churches
denoting or relating to the latin or western church after this separation
denoting or relating to the roman catholic church
denoting or relating to any church, belief, etc, that claims continuity with or originates in the ancient undivided church
noun
a member of any of the churches regarded as catholic, esp the roman catholic church
n.

“member of the roman catholic church,” 1560s, from catholic (adj.).
adj.

mid-14c., “of the doctrines of the ancient church,” literally “universally accepted,” from french catholique, from church latin catholicus “universal, general,” from greek katholikos, from phrase kath’ holou “on the whole, in general,” from kata “about” + genitive of holos “whole” (see safe (adj.)). applied to the church in rome c.1554, after the reformation began. general sense of “of interest to all, universal” is from 1550s.

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