Catholic Dictionary
Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.
Browsing by the letter 'A'
- A CRUCE SALUS
- A MENSA ET TORO
- A POSTERIORI
- A PRIORI
- A VINCULO MATRIMONII
- A.B.
- A.C.
- A.C.
- A.C.N.
- A.D.
- A.D.
- A.M.
- A.M.
- A.M.D.G.
- A.P.S.A.
- A.R.S.
- A.U.
- AACHEN (shrine)
- AARON
- AARON, BLESSING OF
- AB.
- ABBA
- ABBACY OF ST. JEROME
- ABBÉ
- ABBESS
- ABBEY
- ABBEY NULLIUS
- ABBOT
- ABBOT PRIMATE
- ABDICATION
- ABDUCTION
- ABEL
- ABIGAIL
- ABIMELECH
- ABIOGENESIS
- ABJURATION
- ABLUTION
- ABNEGATION
- ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION
- ABORTION
- ABP.
- ABRAHAM
- ABRAHAM-MEN
- ABRAHAM'S BOSOM
- ABROGATION
- ABS.
- ABSALOM
- ABSAM (shrine)
- ABSOLUTE
- ABSOLUTE GOOD
- ABSOLUTE MIRACLE
- ABSOLUTE POWER
- ABSOLUTE TUTIORISM
- ABSOLUTELY SUPERNATURAL
- ABSOLUTION
- ABSOLUTION FROM CENSURE
- ABSOLUTION OF THE DYING
- ABSOLUTISM
- ABST.
- ABSTENTION
- ABSTINENCE
- ABSTRACTION
- ABSURD
- ABULIA
- ABYSSINIAN CHURCH
- ACACIANS
- ACCEPTANTS
- ACCESS
- ACCESSION
- ACCIDENT
- ACCIDENTS
- ACCIDIE (acedia)
- ACCLAMATION
- ACCOMMODATION
- ACCOMPLICE
- ACCULTURATION
- ACOLYTE
- ACOSMISM
- ACQUIRED CONTEMPLATION
- ACQUIRED HABIT
- ACT OF CHARITY
- ACT OF CONTRITION
- ACT OF FAITH
- ACT OF GOD
- ACT OF HOPE
- ACT OF MAN
- ACTA APOSTOLICAE SEDIS
- ACTA SANCTAE SEDIS
- ACTA SANCTORUM
- ACTION
- ACTION FRANÇAISE
- ACTIVE LIFE
- ACTIVE UNITIVE WAY
- ACTIVE VIRTUES
- ACTIVISM
- ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
- ACTS OF THE MARTYRS
- ACTS OF THE PENITENT
- ACTUAL
- ACTUAL GRACE
- ACTUAL INTENTION
- ACTUAL SIN
- ACTUALITY
- ACTUS DEI
- AD APOSTOLORUM PRINCIPIS
- AD DIEM ILLUM
- AD GENTES DIVINITUS
- AD HOMINEM
- AD LIBITUM
- AD LIMINA APOSTOLORUM
- AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM
- AD NUTUM SANCTAE SEDIS
- AD PASCENDUM
- AD TOTAM ECCLESIAM
- ADAM
- ADAMITES
- ADAPTATION
- ADDICTION
- ADDOLORATA
- ADDOLORATA INSTITUTES
- ADESTE FIDELES
- ADJURATION
- ADM. REV.
- ADMINISTRATION
- ADOLESCENCE
- ADONIJAH
- ADOPTION, CANONICAL
- ADOPTION, SUPERNATURAL
- ADOPTIONISM
- ADORATION
- ADORATION OF THE EUCHARIST
- ADORO TE DEVOTE
- ADULT
- ADULTERY
- ADV.
- ADVENT
- ADVENT WREATH
- ADVOCATE
- ADVOCATUS DEI
- ADVOCATUS DIABOLI
- AEON
- AFFABILITY
- AFFECTED IGNORANCE
- AFFECTIONS
- AFFILIATION
- AFFINITY
- AFFIRMATION
- AFFUSION
- AFRICA, OUR LADY OF
- AGAPE
- AGE OF AQUARIUS
- AGE OF DISCRETION
- AGE OF REASON
- AGE QUOD AGIS
- AGE, CANONICAL
- AGENT
- AGENT INTELLECT
- AGERE CONTRA
- AGGEUS
- AGGIORNAMENTO
- AGILITY
- AGLIPAYANISM
- AGNOETES
- AGNOSTICISM
- AGNUS DEI
- AGNUS DEI (liturgy)
- AGONY
- AGONY IN THE GARDEN
- AGRAPHA
- AHAB
- AIN KARIM
- AISLE
- AIX-LA-CHAPELLE
- AKATHISTOS HYMN
- AKEDAH
- AL., ET AL.
- ALB.
- ALB.
- ALBIGENSIANISM
- ALCOHOLISM, MORALITY OF
- ALEXANDRIAN THEOLOGY
- ALEXIANS
- ALIENATION
- ALITURGICAL DAYS
- ALL SAINTS
- ALL SOULS
- ALLEGORICAL SENSE
- ALLEGORY
- ALLELUIA
- ALLOCUTION
- ALL-POWERFUL
- ALMA REDEMPTORIS MATER
- ALMIGHTY
- ALMONER
- ALMS
- ALMS BOX
- ALOES
- ALPHA AND OMEGA
- ALPHABETIC PSALMS
- ALTAR
- ALTAR BELL
- ALTAR BOY
- ALTAR BREAD
- ALTAR CARDS
- ALTAR RAIL
- ALTAR STEPS
- ALTAR STONE
- ALTARPIECE
- ALTÖTTING (shrine)
- ALTRUISM
- ALTRUISTIC HEDONISM
- ALUMBRADOS
- AMADEANS
- AMBITION
- AMBO
- AMBROSIAN RITE
- AMBRY
- AMBULATE IN DILECTIONE
- AMBULATORY
- AMEN
- AMENDE HONORABLE
- AMERICANISM
- AMICE
- AMMONIAN SECTIONS
- AMNIOCENTESIS
- AMORAL
- AMOS
- AMPHORA
- AMPULLAE
- AMRA
- AMULET
- AN.
- ANABAPTISTS
- ANACEPHALAEOSIS
- ANAGOGICAL SENSE
- ANALECTA BOLLANDIANA
- ANALEPSIS
- ANALOGY
- ANALOGY OF FAITH
- ANAMNESIS
- ANANIAS
- ANAPHORA
- ANARCHISM
- ANASTASIMATARION
- ANATHEMA
- ANATHEMA MARANATHA
- ANCHOR
- ANCHOR-CROSS
- ANCHORESS
- ANCHORITE
- ANCIENT OF DAYS
- ANDACOLLO (shrine)
- ANDREW
- ANGEL
- ANGELIC SALUTATION
- ANGELISM
- ANGELS (symbols)
- ANGELUS
- ANGELUS BELL
- ANGER
- ANGLICAN COMMUNION
- ANGLICAN RELIGIOUS ORDERS
- ANGLO-CATHOLICISM
- ANIMA CHRISTI (Soul of Christ)
- ANIMISM
- ANN.
- ANNA
- ANNAS
- ANNIHILATION
- ANNIHILATIONISM
- ANNO DOMINI
- ANNO HEGIRAE (A.H.)
- ANNO INEUNTE
- ANNUAL CONFESSION
- ANNUARIO PONTIFICIO
- ANNULMENT
- ANNUNCIATION
- ANOINTED
- ANOINTING
- ANOINTING OF THE SICK
- ANSELMIAN ARGUMENT
- ANT
- ANT.
- ANTE CHRISTUM
- ANTE MORTEM
- ANTECEDENT CONSCIENCE
- ANTECEDENT GRACE
- ANTEPENDIUM
- ANTHEM
- ANTHROPOCENTRISM
- ANTHROPOLOGICAL EVOLUTION
- ANTHROPOMORPHISM
- ANTHROPOSOPHY
- ANTICAMERA
- ANTI-CATHOLICISM
- ANTICHRIST
- ANTICIPATION
- ANTICLERICALISM
- ANTICONCEPTION
- ANTIDICOMARIANITES
- ANTIDORON
- ANTIMONY
- ANTIMORALISM
- ANTINOMIANISM
- ANTINOMIES
- ANTIOCHENE RITE
- ANTIOCHENE THEOLOGY
- ANTIPASCH
- ANTIPHON
- ANTIPHONARY
- ANTIPHONER
- ANTIPOLO (shrine)
- ANTIPOPE
- ANTI-SEMITISM
- ANTISEXUAL
- ANTISTES
- ANTITYPE
- ANTONIANS
- ANULUS ET BACULUS
- ANXIETY
- AP. SED. LEG.
- AP. SED. LEG.
- APATHY
- APOCALYPSE
- APOCALYPTIC NUMBER
- APOCREAS
- APOCRYPHA
- APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS
- APODICTIC
- APODOSIS
- APOKATASTASIS
- APOLLINARIANISM
- APOLLOS
- APOLOGETICS
- APOLOGIA PRO VITA SUA
- APOLYSIS
- APOST., AP., APP.
- APOSTASY
- APOSTASY (biblical)
- APOSTASY (clerical)
- APOSTASY (ecclesiastical)
- APOSTASY IN FAITH
- APOSTLE
- APOSTLES' CREED
- APOSTLESHIP OF PRAYER
- APOSTLESHIP OF THE SEA
- APOSTOLATE
- APOSTOLIC CAMERA
- APOSTOLIC CANONS
- APOSTOLIC CHANCERY
- APOSTOLIC CHURCHES
- APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTIONS
- APOSTOLIC CURAE
- APOSTOLIC DELEGATE
- APOSTOLIC FATHERS
- APOSTOLIC INDULGENCES
- APOSTOLIC LETTERS
- APOSTOLIC PENITENTIARY
- APOSTOLIC PREACHER
- APOSTOLIC PROCURATORS
- APOSTOLIC SCHOOLS
- APOSTOLIC SECULARITY
- APOSTOLIC SEE
- APOSTOLIC SIGNATURA
- APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION
- APOSTOLIC VICAR
- APOSTOLICA SOLLICITUDO
- APOSTOLICAM ACTUOSITATEM
- APOSTOLICITY
- APOTHEOSIS
- APPARENT GOOD
- APPARITION
- APPEAL
- APPELLANTS
- APPETITE
- APPIAN WAY
- APPLICATION
- APPRECIATION
- APPROBATION
- APPROPRIATION
- APRIL
- APSE
- AQUILA
- ARA COELI
- ARAMAIC
- ARCA
- ARCANA
- ARCANUM DIVINAE SAPIENTIAE
- ARCH
- ARCHABBOT
- ARCHANGEL
- ARCHBISHOP
- ARCHCONFRATERNITY
- ARCHDEACON
- ARCHETYPE
- ARCHID.
- ARCHIEP.
- ARCHIEPISCOPAL CROSS
- ARCHIMANDRITE
- ARCHIPRB.
- ARCHITRAVE
- ARCHIVES
- ARCHIVES, VATICAN
- ARCHPRIEST
- ARCOSOLIUM
- ARCULAE
- AREA
- AREOPAGUS
- ARGUMENT AD IGNORANTIAM
- ARGUMENT AD POPULUM
- ARGUMENT EX SILENTIO
- ARIAN CHURCHES
- ARIANISM
- ARIDITY
- ARISTOTELIANISM
- ARK
- ARMAGH, BOOK OF
- ARMENIAN RITE
- ARMINIANISM
- ARROWS
- ARS (shrine)
- ARS ANTIQUA
- ARS ARTIUM
- ARS MORIENDI
- ARS NOVA
- ARTICLE OF FAITH
- ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION
- ARTOPHORION
- ASCENSION
- ASCENT OF MOUNT CARMEL
- ASCETERION or ASCETERY
- ASCETICAL THEOLOGY
- ASCETICISM
- ASEITY
- ASH WEDNESDAY
- ASHES, BLESSED
- ASKESIS
- ASPERGES
- ASPERGILL
- ASPERSION
- ASPIRATION
- ASSENT
- ASSISI
- ASSISTANTS AT THE THRONE
- ASSUMPTION
- ASSUMPTION CHAPEL
- ASSUMPTIONISTS
- ASTERISK
- ASTROLOGY
- ATHANASIAN CREED
- ATHEISM
- ATHOS
- ATONEMENT
- ATONEMENT, CHAPEL OF
- ATTACHMENT
- ATTENTION
- ATTITUDE
- ATTRIBUTION
- ATTRITION
- ATTRITIONISM
- AUCTION
- AUCTOREM FIDEI
- AUDIENCES, PAPAL
- AUDITOR
- AUGUSTINE, RULE OF ST
- AUGUSTINIANISM
- AUGUSTINIANS
- AUGUSTINUS
- AUREOLA
- AUREOLE
- AUREOLE OF THE SAINTS
- AURI SACRA FAMES
- AURICULAR CONFESSION
- AURIESVILLE
- AUSCULTA FILI
- AUSTERITY
- AUTHENTIC INTERPRETATION
- AUTHENTIC INTERPRETER
- AUTHENTIC TEACHING
- AUTHENTICITY
- AUTHORITARIANISM
- AUTHORITY
- AUTOCEPHALI
- AUTO-DE FÉ
- AUTONOMOUS MORALITY
- AUTOTELIC
- AUX.
- AUXILIARY BISHOP
- AVARICE
- AVE MARIA
- AVE MARIS STELLA
- AVE REGINA CAELORUM
- AVERROISM
- AVERSION
- AVIGNON POPES
- AVOIDING SIN
- AX
- AXINOMANCY
- AXIOLOGY
- AXIOM
- AZYMITES
