catholic

[Perry]

[Sorry if this has been covered already.]
Catholic - adj.
1.) Catholic (of or relating to or supporting Catholicism) "the Catholic Church"
2.) catholic (free from provincial prejudices or attachments) "catholic in one's tastes"

There is some irony in the two definitions, as the tastes of the Catholic Church are not so catholic.

[Stargzer]

Well, Perry, that was only the Quick Definition from OneLook. Try the American Heritage Dictionary, the Favorite of our own Dr. Goodword, on for size:

catholic

SYLLABICATION: cath·o·lic

ADJECTIVE: 1. Of broad or liberal scope; comprehensive: “The 100-odd pages of formulas and constants are surely the most catholic to be found” (Scientific American). 2. Including or concerning all humankind; universal: “what was of catholic rather than national interest” (J.A. Froude). 3. Catholic a. Of or involving the Roman Catholic Church. b. Of or relating to the universal Christian church. c. Of or relating to the ancient undivided Christian church. d. Of or relating to those churches that have claimed to be representatives of the ancient undivided church.

NOUN: Catholic A member of a Catholic church, especially a Roman Catholic.

ETYMOLOGY: Middle English catholik, universally accepted, from Old French catholique, from Latin catholicus, universal, from Greek katholikos, from katholou, in general : kat-, kata-, down, along, according to; see cata– + holou (from neuter genitive of holos, whole; see sol- in Appendix I).

OTHER FORMS: ca·tholi·cal·ly —ADVERB

[Perry]

Did you expect me to do all of the work? The irony still remains IMHO.

[gailr]

Perry, once I understood the derivation, I saw it more as wishful thinking than irony...
-gailr