catholic
adjective

- broad or wide-ranging in tastes, interests, or the like; having sympathies with all; broad-minded; liberal.
- universal in extent; involving all; of interest to all.

(He was a man of catholic tastes, a lover of grand opera, history and the fine arts)

- pertaining to the Roman Catholic Church (when capitalized)

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ORIGIN

Middle English catholik, from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French catholique, from Late Latin catholicus, from Greek katholikos universal, general, from katholou in general, from kata by + holos whole.

Catholic, spelled with a capital C usually refers to the Roman Catholic church, and/or its members. But spelled with a small c, it means: a wide variety of things; all embracing.


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Similarly, when Conservative is spelled with a capital C it usually refers to the Conservative and Unionist Party of Great Britain. Spelled with a small c, it becomes the adjective conservative meaning *averse to change or innovation and holding traditional values. People, in Britain at any rate will sometimes describe themselves as ‘conservative with a small c’.

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SYNONYMS

open-minded, broad-minded, liberal, tolerant, undogmatic, flexible, unbigoted, unprejudiced, unsectarian, ecumenical

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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation, say something like:

“Jim has rather catholic tastes, he will try anything, at least once”

Thanks to Sven for suggesting today’s word.