romanize

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to represent a language or text in the Latin alphabet by transcription or transliteration

   The catalog romanizes each Japanese title before sorting it alphabetically.

2. 2
   verb

   to make a person, place, work, or culture Roman in character, or bring it under ancient Roman influence

   Cicero romanized the Greek tale by giving it Roman characters and institutions.

3. 3
   verb

   historical: to bring a church or believer into conformity with Roman Catholic doctrine or practice

   Opponents accused the reforms of trying to romanize the national church.

From Roman + -ize ("make or become"). In the orthographic sense, Roman refers to the Roman or Latin alphabet; older cultural and religious senses invoke ancient Rome and the Roman Catholic Church respectively.

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