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

As the two compete to disprove the existence of the other’s passion, they get caught up in an encounter of both the spiritual and paranormal, imbuing both teenagers with powers beyond belief. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 Dec. 2024

Or at the very least, take some cues from Kwanzaa, invented in 1966, which established a tradition of giving modest, meaningful gifts to children, separate from (i.e. after) Christmas, with no Santa myth, and with some cultural or spiritual significance. —Gord Magill, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024

Noun

As tensions swell, various cast members sing a medley of slave work songs, blues tunes, and Negro spirituals, creating a tug of war between the past and present as the characters seek to commune with ancestral spirits. —Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 29 Nov. 2024

Featuring an incredible array of special guests, the album spanned spirituals, blues, jazz, ragtime, big band, fusion, R&B, and hip hop, and won the 1992 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album. —Jem Aswad, Variety, 19 Nov. 2024

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.