catholicize: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Ecclesiastical, Academic
Quick answer
What does “catholicize” mean?
To make something or someone Catholic in character, doctrine, or membership.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To make something or someone Catholic in character, doctrine, or membership.
To make something broad, universal, or all-encompassing (from the general sense of 'catholic' meaning universal or all-embracing, though this extended meaning is rare and potentially confusing).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: 'catholicize' is standard in US English; 'catholicise' is the standard UK variant. Usage is equally rare in both varieties.
Connotations
In both varieties, the term primarily connotes religious conversion or doctrinal influence, often with historical or institutional overtones.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both corpora, found almost exclusively in historical, theological, or political-science texts.
Grammar
How to Use “catholicize” in a Sentence
[Agent] + catholicize + [Patient/Region] (e.g., The monarchy sought to catholicize the provinces.)[Institution] + be catholicized + [by + Agent] (e.g., The local rites were gradually catholicized by the papal legates.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “catholicize” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The Habsburg policy aimed to catholicise the newly acquired territories.
- Medieval rulers often attempted to catholicise pagan populations through monastic missions.
American English
- The Spanish crown sought to catholicize the indigenous peoples of the Americas.
- Some historians argue the regime tried to subtly catholicize public institutions.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in historical, theological, or sociological studies discussing religious conversion, colonialism, or cultural change.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Possible in specialized religious or historical discourse.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “catholicize”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “catholicize”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “catholicize”
- Using it to mean 'to become more broad-minded' (use 'broaden' or 'diversify').
- Confusing it with 'Catholic' (adjective) or 'Catholicism' (noun).
- Misspelling as 'catholocize' or 'catholize'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a very low-frequency word used almost exclusively in formal historical, religious, or academic writing.
Rarely. While 'catholic' (lowercase 'c') can mean 'universal,' using 'catholicize' to mean 'make universal' is highly ambiguous and likely to be misunderstood. Use 'universalize' or 'broaden' instead.
UK English uses 'catholicise' (with an 's'), and US English uses 'catholicize' (with a 'z').
Instead of 'catholicize,' you can often use phrases like 'convert to Catholicism,' 'bring into the Catholic Church,' or 'make Catholic.'
Catholicize is usually formal, ecclesiastical, academic in register.
Catholicize: in British English it is pronounced /kəˈθɒlɪsʌɪz/, and in American English it is pronounced /kəˈθɑːlɪˌsaɪz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'CATHOLIC-ize' – to make something into (like) the CATHOLIC Church.
Conceptual Metaphor
RELIGIOUS DOCTRINE IS A SUBSTANCE THAT CAN BE SPREAD (They sought to catholicize the population).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary meaning of 'to catholicize'?