spiritual
/ˈspɪr.ɪ.tʃu.əl/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Connected with religion, faith, or the human soul, not with the physical body. It can also mean deeply peaceful or meaningful in a personal way.
- She found spiritual comfort in prayer.
- The trip was a spiritual experience for him.
- Many people seek spiritual meaning in life.
Adinary Nuance
Spiritual is stronger and more inner-focused than religious. Use spiritual when you mean belief, soul, or deep personal meaning, even outside formal religion. It is different from practical, which means useful in real life, and from emotional, which is about feelings in general.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- tâm linh
- Spanish
- espiritual
- Chinese
- 精神的
- Japanese
- 精神的な
- Korean
- 영적인
Etymology
From Late Latin spirituālis, from Latin spiritus meaning 'breath' or 'spirit'. It entered English in the Middle Ages through French and church use.
Common phrases
spiritual growthspiritual lifespiritual journeyspiritual leader
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is spiritual the same as religious?
- Not exactly. Spiritual can mean personal belief or inner peace, and it may not involve organized religion.
- Can I use spiritual in everyday English?
- Yes. People use it for religion, inner calm, or a deep sense of meaning.
- Is spiritual formal or informal?
- It is neutral to slightly formal, and common in writing and speech.