# roman

/ˈɹoʊmən/ (US) · /ɹˈəʊmən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/roman
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. ancient empire

adjective · CEFR A2

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

For teachers: relating to the ancient Roman Empire, its civilization, or its citizens.

- We visited the ruins of an old Roman temple during our holiday in Italy.
- The Roman administration was remarkably efficient at maintaining infrastructure across vast territories, as evidenced by the surviving network of stone roads.

### 2. modern city

adjective · CEFR A2

relating to the modern city of Rome in Italy.

For teachers: relating to the modern city of Rome or its inhabitants.

- The Roman sun was very hot as we walked through the city streets.
- The Roman culinary tradition is famous for its specific pasta dishes, such as carbonara and amatriciana.

### 3. printing style

adjective · CEFR B2 · Technical

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

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

- The main text of the book is in a roman font, but the titles are in italics.
- The designer recommended using a classic roman typeface for the body text to ensure maximum legibility for the elderly readers.

### 4. numerals/alphabet

adjective · CEFR B1

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

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

- The chapters in this old book are numbered with Roman numerals.
- While Arabic numerals are standard for calculations, Roman numerals are still frequently employed for clock faces and formal outlines.

### 5. Catholic Church

adjective · CEFR B1 · Formal

relating to the Roman Catholic Church.

For teachers: pertaining to the Roman Catholic Church or the Holy See.

- The local Roman Catholic church holds a service every Sunday morning.
- The treaty was signed in the presence of several high-ranking Roman prelates representing the interests of the Vatican.

### 6. a person

noun · CEFR A2

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

For teachers: a citizen or inhabitant of ancient Rome, the Roman Empire, or modern Rome.

- The Romans were famous for building strong roads and bridges.
- Historians often debate the extent to which the average Roman in the provinces felt connected to the capital city.

## Examples

- The ancient Romans built many roads across Europe.
- Historians study how the Romans managed to govern such a vast and diverse territory for centuries.
- While the early Romans were primarily an agrarian society, their later mastery of engineering and law allowed them to establish a lasting cultural hegemony over the Mediterranean basin.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.