non-Catholics
|non-Cath-o-lics|
🇺🇸
/nɑnˈkæθlɪks/
🇬🇧
/nɒnˈkæθəlɪks/
(non-Catholic)
not Catholic
Etymology
'non-Catholic' originates from the Latin prefix 'non' meaning 'not' combined with the English word 'Catholic', which ultimately comes from Greek 'katholikos' meaning 'universal'.
'Catholic' changed from Greek 'katholikos' to Late Latin 'catholicus', entered Old French as 'catholique', and then Middle English as 'catholik' before becoming modern English 'Catholic'; the negating prefix 'non-' comes from Latin 'non' and was combined with English adjectives and nouns to form compounds like 'non-Catholic'.
Initially, 'katholikos' meant 'universal' or 'general'; over time 'Catholic' came to refer specifically to the Christian church (and especially to the Roman Catholic Church), and 'non-Catholic' came to mean 'not a member of that church'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural form of 'non-Catholic'; people who are not members of the Roman Catholic Church (this can include members of other Christian denominations, members of other religions, and those with no religious affiliation).
Non-Catholics were invited to participate in the ecumenical service.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/28 19:32