¹spiritual

adjective spir·i·tu·al \ˈspir-i-chə-wəl, -i-chəl, -ich-wəl\

: of or relating to a person's spirit

: of or relating to religion or religious beliefs

: having similar values and ideas : related or joined in spirit

Full Definition of SPIRITUAL

: of, relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit : incorporeal <spiritual needs>

a : of or relating to sacred matters <spiritual songs>

b : ecclesiastical rather than lay or temporal <spiritual authority> <lords spiritual>

: concerned with religious values

: related or joined in spirit <our spiritual home> <his spiritual heir>

a : of or relating to supernatural beings or phenomena

b : of, relating to, or involving spiritualism : spiritualistic

— spir·i·tu·al·ly adverb

— spir·i·tu·al·ness noun

See spiritual defined for English-language learners

See spiritual defined for kids

Origin of SPIRITUAL

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French espirital, spiritual, from Late Latin spiritualis, from Latin, of breathing, of wind, from spiritus

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to SPIRITUAL

Synonyms: bodiless, ethereal, formless, incorporeal, insubstantial, nonmaterial, nonphysical, immaterial, unbodied, unsubstantial

Antonyms: bodily, corporeal, material, physical, substantial

Other Christian Religious Terms

Pentateuch, blasphemy, curate, doxology, eremite, iconoclasm, liturgy, orison, pneuma, reliquary

²spiritual

noun

: a religious folk song that was sung originally by African-Americans in the southern U.S.

Full Definition of SPIRITUAL

plural : things of a spiritual, ecclesiastical, or religious nature

: a religious song usually of a deeply emotional character that was developed especially among blacks in the southern United States

capitalized : any of a party of 13th and 14th century Franciscans advocating strict observance of a rule of poverty for their order

See spiritual defined for English-language learners

First Known Use of SPIRITUAL

1582

Related to SPIRITUAL

Synonyms: anthem, canticle, carol, chorale, psalm, hymn

SPIRITUAL Defined for Kids

¹spiritual

adjective spir·i·tu·al \ˈspir-i-chə-wəl\

Definition of SPIRITUAL for Kids

: of, relating to, or consisting of spirit : not bodily or material <“Sometimes we can't know what spiritual damage it leaves even when physical recovery is complete.” — Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time>

: of or relating to sacred or religious matters

— spir·i·tu·al·ly adverb