Origin and history of *sol-

mid-14c., catholik, "of the doctrines of the ancient Church" (before the East/West schism), literally "universally accepted," from French catholique, from Church Latin catholicus "universal, general," from Greek katholikos, from phrase kath' holou "on the whole, in general," from kata "about" + genitive of holos "whole" (from PIE root *sol- "whole, well-kept").

Medieval Latin catholicus was practically synonymous with Christianus and meant "constituting or conforming to the church, its faith and organization" (as opposed to local sects or heresies).

With capital C-, it was applied by Protestants to the Church in Rome by c. 1554, after the Reformation began in England. The general sense of "embracing all, universal" in English is attested from 1550s. The meaning "not narrow-minded or bigoted" is from 1580s. The Latin word was rendered in Old English as eallgeleaflic.

1510s, "to combine into one body," from Latin consolidatus, past participle of consolidare "to make solid," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + solidare "to make solid," from solidus "firm, whole, undivided, entire," from suffixed form of PIE root *sol- "whole."

Meaning "to make firm or strong" is from 1530s; that of "to form into a solid mass" is from 1650s. Intransitive sense "to grow firm or compact" is from 1620s. Caxton (late 15c.) has consolid (v.), from French consolider. Related: Consolidated; consolidating.