'Catholic' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'katholikos', where 'kata' + 'holos' meant 'according to the whole' or 'whole/universal'.

'katholikos' passed into Late Latin as 'catholicus', then into Old French and Middle English (e.g. 'catholik'), eventually becoming the modern English word 'Catholic'.

Initially it meant 'universal' or 'general'; over time it came to denote the Christian church seen as 'universal' and later often specifically the Roman Catholic Church or its members.