Original sentence: Romanism was a word used as a derogatory term for Roman Catholicism in the past when anti-Catholicism was more common in the United States and the United Kingdom.The term is still used, though rarely, by anti-Catholics
Edited sentence: "  It is to be found in 17th Century and earlier writings, often alongside "Romish" and "Romanist" as well as "popish" and "papist."  It was widely used in the British Isles and later in the English-speaking colonies as a sectarian designation for those parties loyal to the Roman pontiff, as distinct from those loyal to the Anglican church, and more generally in contrast to "Protestantism.Furthermore, the alternative "Catholic" is viewed as an improper concession of catholicity to the world's most sectarian body, and especially confusing in terms of the ancient historical use of "Catholic" to denote the entire Christian church, and not only the church of Rome.It is a descriptive term deriving from the term "Roman," just as in "Roman Catholic.It is found as a descriptive noun in Webster's 1828 dictionary:.Likewise, the term has a lengthy history in scholarly Protestant materials dating back to the Reformation era.Opponents of the term sometimes allege that it was a word used as a derogatory term for Roman Catholicism in the past when anti-Catholicism was more common in the United States and the United Kingdom.RO'MANISM, n.Romanism is a synonym for Roman Catholicism.See Main Entry for Romanism by Noah Webster.Supporters for the term allege that the alternative "Roman Catholic" is cumbersome and potentially confusing, since it is occasionally mistakenly thought to be a reference to the Latin rite of Roman Catholicism.The tenets of the church of Rome.The term is still used today, particularly by those with historic connections to the Reformation