Meanings
catholicon1
plural catholica · plural catholicons
- Orthodox ChristianityA large urban church used for large gatherings.
Catholicon2
- an early Latin dictionary, the Summa grammaticalis quae vocatur Catholicon
Synonyms & antonyms
nounhypothetical remedy for all ills or diseases; once sought by the alchemists
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Ancient Greekκαθολικόν“that which is universal”
- Middle Englishcatholicon
- Englishcatholicon
From Late Middle English catholicon, via Medieval Latin from Ancient Greek καθολικόν (katholikón, “that which is universal”), the neuter substantive form of καθολικός (katholikós).
More words from Middle English, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
catholicon. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catholicon
“catholicon.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catholicon. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “catholicon,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catholicon.
Source: catholicon on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.