spiritual

1 of 2

adjective

spir·​i·​tu·​al ˈspir-i-chə-wəl How to pronounce spiritual (audio)
-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

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
The deeply spiritual and Zen-like Kravitz shared vivid anecdotes about his beloved grandfather, Albert Roker, by way of explaining his own commitment to health and fitness. Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024 Its pastors preach a different approach to spiritual life, one that’s plain to see this time of year, during the holiest days on the Christian calendar. Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 20 Mar. 2024 And for participants, the production offers a chance to blend artistic and spiritual accomplishments. Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024 Japan has released its fair share of sports cars over the decades, but there are two that sit atop the mountain—the Toyota Supra and GT-R, which is the spiritual successor to the legendary Skyline GT-R. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2024 Now Anderson’s spiritual profundity is fleeting, as if the millennium’s anxiety has gotten to the last of the splendid entertainers. Armond White, National Review, 15 Mar. 2024 Inamori created the Kyoto Prize in reflection of his belief that people have no higher calling than to strive for the greater good of humankind and society, and that the future of humanity can be assured only when there is a balance between scientific progress and spiritual depth. Dean Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2024 Ramadan preparations in Jerusalem, the spiritual heart of the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict, have been subdued because of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, now in its sixth month. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 10 Mar. 2024 Having a large breed dog in such a spiritual place like Japan, with all its temples and shrines, is unique. Rachel Chang and Thomas Panek, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2024
Noun
Learn about the history of the American spiritual and its oral tradition with a recital by American Spiritual Ensemble. Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 25 Feb. 2024 For the past decade Russell, a vocalist, composer, and arranger specializing in music in the Yiddish language, has identified other parallels between African American spirituals and Ashkenazi Jewish music. Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 8 Jan. 2024 Gospel is an innovative and ever-evolving musicality born out of traditional spirituals, jazz and the blues that has been a continued throughline in the Black experience, especially in the Black Christian community. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 12 Feb. 2024 Parrish will sing a program of German and Russian lieder, a world premiere by Alistair Coleman, and a selection of spirituals that welcome Michele Fowlin’s Children of the Gospel Choir to the stage. Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 1 Feb. 2024 None is more electrifying than a traditional spiritual about the prodigal son, which Oglesby uses to net her first theatrical role. Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 29 Jan. 2024 Such a definition, in both a spiritual and a historical sense, is ludicrous. Thomas S. Kidd, WSJ, 11 Jan. 2024 That history is of course full of horrors, not the golden past portrayed in works about the gracious days of juleps and spirituals. Jesse Green, New York Times, 18 Dec. 2023 Anchored by ethereal strings and the driving melodies of Negro spirituals, Fantasia croons lyrics that beautifully capture the arc and triumph of both Celie and herself. Kyle Denis, Billboard, 18 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spiritual.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of spiritual was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near spiritual

Cite this Entry

“Spiritual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spiritual. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

spiritual

1 of 2 adjective
spir·​i·​tu·​al ˈspir-ich-(ə-)wəl How to pronounce spiritual (audio)
-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 blacks in the southern U.S.

More from Merriam-Webster on spiritual

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!