spiritual
/ˈspɪrɪtʃʊəl
/ /ˈspɪrɪtjʊəl/adjective
1Relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things: I’m responsible for his spiritual welfare...
- Ackroyd may have jettisoned traditional Catholicism, but in his work humans are spiritual beings with souls that survive death and time.
- Our spiritual existence affects our physical existence, and vice versa.
- Encouraging mutuality acknowledges that our spiritual existence affects our physical existence.
Synonyms
non-material, inner, psychic, psychical, psychological;
incorporeal, intangible, other-worldly, unworldly, ethereal;
transcendent, mystic, mystical, numinous, metaphysical
rare extramundane, immaterial
1.1Having a relationship based on a profound level of mental or emotional communion: he never forgot his spiritual father...
- I have a spiritual relationship with Mullah Omar.
- Some dive for spiritual communion with their inner self.
- He never got it finished and it was his friend and spiritual son, Edouard Dermi who finished his work.
1.2(Of a person) not concerned with material values or pursuits.It is full of thought, and she was an intellectual and spiritual person....
- We are trying to be spiritual people in this field.
- ‘We're spiritual people, but we've got our feet on the ground,’ Christophere explains.
2Relating to religion or religious belief: the country’s spiritual leader...
- What happens to the religious or spiritual beliefs of soldiers when they go to battle?
- While we respect religious creeds, spiritual leaders and church councils, none of these can bind our consciences or force us to believe or observe anything outside of Bible truth.
- Lately, however, methods have been developed to assess religiosity and spiritual beliefs.
Synonyms
religious, sacred, divine, holy, non-secular, church, churchly, ecclesiastic, devotional
noun
(also Negro spiritual) A religious song of a kind associated with black Christians of the southern US, and thought to derive from the combination of European hymns and African musical elements by black slaves.The Cwmbach Male Voice Choir entertained with a traditional repertoire of Welsh hymns, spirituals and songs from opera and the shows....
- One of the first, Songs of Zion was published by the United Methodist Church and contains a history of black music in addition to hymns, spirituals and gospel songs.
- In this collection are old British and American ballads, Civil War songs, blues, frolic tunes, children's games, nonsense songs, lullabies, spirituals, and more.
Phrases
one's spiritual home
Derivatives
spiritualness
Origin
Middle English: from Old French spirituel, from Latin spiritualis, from spiritus (see spirit).