spiritualism

noun

spir·​i·​tu·​al·​ism ˈspir-i-chə-wə-ˌli-zəm 

-i-chə-ˌli-,

-ich-wə-ˌli-

1

: the view that spirit is a prime element of reality

2

a

: a belief that spirits of the dead communicate with the living usually through a medium

b

capitalized : a movement comprising religious organizations emphasizing spiritualism

spiritualist

ˈspir-i-chə-wə-list 

-i-chə-list

-ich-wə-list

noun often capitalized

spiritualistic

ˌspir-i-chə-wə-ˈli-stik 

-i-chə-ˈli-

-ich-wə-ˈli-

adjective

Examples of spiritualism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

It’s also been a treat to page through the visual and physical embodiments of spiritualism (pun intended)—the clothing, playbills, the Ouija boards, and rabbits in hats that remain from generations of seekers. —The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 20 Dec. 2024

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, spiritualism leveraged science to marvelous effect. —Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024

Though men also engaged with fortune-telling and spiritualism, women remained the popular image of the practice. —The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2024

The combination of cultural individualism, industrialization, and technological advance created a cultural moment in which audiences were open to and actively explored the idea of unseen forces (hey, if telegraph and photography worked, why not mesmerism, spiritualism, or palm-reading?). —The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1749, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

spiritualism

noun

spir·​i·​tu·​al·​ism ˈspir-ich-(ə-)wə-ˌliz-əm 

-ich-ə-ˌliz-

: a belief that the spirits of the dead communicate with the living