English Reference
adjective · noun

roman

adj. · n.
US /ˈɹoʊmən/ UK /ɹˈəʊmən/ ro·man

  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    adj.relating to ancient Rome, its people, or the large empire they ruled.

    adj.relating to the ancient Roman Empire, its civilization, or its citizens.

    Simple

    We visited the ruins of an old Roman temple during our holiday in Italy.

    In context

    The Roman administration was remarkably efficient at maintaining infrastructure across vast territories, as evidenced by the surviving network of stone roads.

  2. 02 A2 Elementary

    adj.relating to the modern city of Rome in Italy.

    adj.relating to the modern city of Rome or its inhabitants.

    Simple

    The Roman sun was very hot as we walked through the city streets.

    In context

    The Roman culinary tradition is famous for its specific pasta dishes, such as carbonara and amatriciana.

  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Computing

    adj.a style of printing where the letters are straight and upright, not slanted.

    adj.denoting a style of typeface in which the characters are upright, as distinguished from italic or oblique forms.

    Simple

    The main text of the book is in a roman font, but the titles are in italics.

    In context

    The designer recommended using a classic roman typeface for the body text to ensure maximum legibility for the elderly readers.

    italicoblique
  4. 04 B1 Intermediate Math

    adj.relating to the Latin alphabet or the number system using letters like I, V, and X.

    adj.relating to the Latin alphabet or the system of numerical notation based on ancient Roman symbols.

    Simple

    The chapters in this old book are numbered with Roman numerals.

    In context

    While Arabic numerals are standard for calculations, Roman numerals are still frequently employed for clock faces and formal outlines.

  5. 05 B1 Intermediate Formal Religion

    adj.relating to the Roman Catholic Church.

    adj.pertaining to the Roman Catholic Church or the Holy See.

    Simple

    The local Roman Catholic church holds a service every Sunday morning.

    In context

    The treaty was signed in the presence of several high-ranking Roman prelates representing the interests of the Vatican.

  6. 06 A2 Elementary

    n.a person who lived in ancient Rome or lives in modern Rome today.

    n.a citizen or inhabitant of ancient Rome, the Roman Empire, or modern Rome.

    Simple

    The Romans were famous for building strong roads and bridges.

    In context

    Historians often debate the extent to which the average Roman in the provinces felt connected to the capital city.


From Old French Romain, from Latin Rōmānus. In reference to the Byzantine Empire, via the Byzantine Greek endonym Ῥωμαῖος (Rhōmaîos). By surface analysis, Rome + -an. Doublet of Romano.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin gkm -
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Common
Updated