spiritual

1 of 2

adjective

spir·​i·​tu·​al ˈspir-i-chə-wəl 

-i-chəl,

-ich-wəl

1

: of, relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit : incorporeal

spiritual needs

2

a

: of or relating to sacred matters

spiritual songs

b

: ecclesiastical rather than lay or temporal

spiritual authority

lords spiritual

3

: concerned with religious values

4

: related or joined in spirit

our spiritual home

his spiritual heir

5

a

: of or relating to supernatural beings or phenomena

b

: of, relating to, or involving spiritualism : spiritualistic

spiritually adverb

spiritualness noun

spiritual

2 of 2

noun

1

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

2

: a religious song usually of a deeply emotional character that was developed especially among Black people in the southern U.S.

3

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

Synonyms

Adjective

• bodiless
• ethereal
• formless
• immaterial
• incorporeal
• insubstantial
• nonmaterial
• nonphysical
• unbodied
• unsubstantial

Noun

• anthem
• canticle
• carol
• chorale
• hymn
• psalm

Examples of spiritual in a Sentence

Adjective

Doctors must consider the emotional and spiritual needs of their patients.

I regularly consult our pastor about spiritual matters.

The Romantic composers saw Beethoven as a spiritual ancestor.

France will always be the spiritual home of wine lovers.

Noun

The congregation sang hymns and spirituals.

sang a spiritual at the funeral

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

With Marxism tainted by its aggressive materialism, and mere democratic socialism so mere, anarchism could be imagined as a series of defiant spiritual acts. —Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025

Cambodia’s Art Come Home: Foreign institutions and collectors are returning artifacts with deep spiritual meaning. —Hannah Beech, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025

Noun

This included early American music forms, marches, spirituals, field hollers, work songs and African rhythms, as well as their musical descendants, like jazz, blues, gospel, country and rock ‘n’ roll. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Feb. 2025

Set to traditional Black spirituals, work songs and blues tunes, the dance performance reflects the Black experience through its story of faith and perseverance from the trials of slavery to freedom. —Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 12 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

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

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing spiritual

• spiritual bouquet

Kids Definition

spiritual

1 of 2 adjective

spir·​i·​tu·​al ˈspir-ich-(ə-)wəl 

-ich-əl

1

: of, relating to, or consisting of spirit : not bodily or material

2

: of or relating to sacred or religious matters

3

: related or joined in spirit

our spiritual home

spirituality

ˌspir-ich-ə-ˈwal-ət-ē

noun

spiritually

ˈspir-ich-(ə-)wəl-ē

-ich-əl-ē

adverb

spiritualness noun

spiritual

2 of 2 noun

: a religious song usually of a very emotional character that was developed especially among Black people in the southern U.S.