catholicity: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Academic
Quick answer
What does “catholicity” mean?
The quality of being broad, wide-ranging, or comprehensive in sympathies, tastes, or interests.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The quality of being broad, wide-ranging, or comprehensive in sympathies, tastes, or interests; universal or all-inclusive character.
The quality of relating to or including all people, things, or ideas; also used in specific contexts (like Catholicism) to refer to universality of the faith.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage patterns are similar; it's a low-frequency formal word in both variants.
Connotations
In both, carries connotations of intellectual sophistication, broad-mindedness, or religious universality.
Frequency
Slightly more likely to appear in British academic/theological writing due to historical church contexts, but difference is minimal.
Grammar
How to Use “catholicity” in a Sentence
catholicity of + [abstract noun: taste, interest, vision]demonstrate/show + catholicityadjective + catholicityVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Possibly in leadership/strategy contexts: 'The CEO's catholicity of vision allowed the firm to diversify successfully.'
Academic
Common in humanities: 'The scholar's catholicity of interests spanned from medieval liturgy to modern poetry.'
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would sound formal or pretentious.
Technical
In theology, refers specifically to the universality of the Christian church as a defining attribute.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “catholicity”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “catholicity”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “catholicity”
- Confusing it exclusively with Roman Catholicism.
- Using it in casual contexts.
- Misspelling as 'catholocity' or 'catholicismity'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While it originates from the concept of universal Christian church, its primary modern use is secular, meaning broad-mindedness or wide-ranging interests.
'Catholicity' is an abstract noun meaning breadth or universality. 'Catholicism' (capital C) specifically refers to the beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church.
It is highly formal and rare in everyday speech. Using it might sound academic or pretentious. Simpler words like 'broad taste' or 'wide interests' are preferable.
In British English: /ˌkaθ(ə)ˈlɪsɪti/. In American English: /ˌkæθəˈlɪsədi/. The main difference is the first vowel ('a' vs 'æ') and the final vowel ('ɪ' vs 'ədi').
The quality of being broad, wide-ranging, or comprehensive in sympathies, tastes, or interests.
Catholicity is usually formal, academic in register.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'Catholic' church as claiming universality + '-ity' makes it a quality. 'Catholicity' is the quality of being universal or broad.
Conceptual Metaphor
BREADTH IS CATHOLICITY (An expansive mind is a wide, inclusive space).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'catholicity' LEAST likely to be used appropriately?