soul
Soul (noun) means the spiritual or immaterial part of a person, often believed to continue after death. Example: “She believed the soul lives on after the body dies.”
How to use soul
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe spiritual essence of a person, or the deep, defining heart of something — also a music genre.
Word forms
souled past tense, souled past tense, souls plural, souls singular, souls singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She believed the _____ lives on after the body dies.
Etymology
From Old English sawol ("soul, life, spirit"), a Germanic word of uncertain ultimate origin.
Related words
Rhymes for soul
See all rhymes for soul →Frequently asked questions
What does “soul” mean?
The word “soul” means the spiritual or immaterial part of a person, often believed to continue after death. In plain terms, the spiritual essence of a person, or the deep, defining heart of something — also a music genre.
How do you pronounce “soul”?
“Soul” is pronounced sohl (/soʊl/ in IPA).
How do you use “soul” in a sentence?
Here is “soul” used in a sentence: “She believed the soul lives on after the body dies.”
What is another word for “soul”?
Words with a similar meaning to “soul” include gist.
What part of speech is “soul”?
“Soul” is a noun.
Where does the word “soul” come from?
The word “soul” comes from Old English. From Old English sawol ("soul, life, spirit"), a Germanic word of uncertain ultimate origin.
Is “soul” a common word?
“Soul” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “soul” have?
“Soul” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the spiritual or immaterial part of a person, often believed to continue after death.
What is the difference between soul and spirit?
Both refer to the immaterial part of a person, but soul often denotes the seat of individual identity, emotion, and personality, while spirit tends to mean the life-force or the aspect that connects to the divine. Many traditions use the two interchangeably; others treat spirit as the higher part and soul as the more personal one.
Is the soul a religious idea?
The soul appears across most religions and many philosophies, though beliefs about its nature differ widely. Some hold that it is immortal, others that it is reborn, and secular thinkers may treat it as a metaphor for consciousness or character rather than a literal, surviving entity. It is a deeply contested concept.
What does soul mean in music?
In music, soul names a genre blending gospel and rhythm and blues that rose in the 1950s and 60s. More loosely, saying a performance or singer "has soul" means it feels heartfelt, emotional, and authentic rather than technical or hollow. Here the word points to depth of feeling.
Can the soul be measured or seen?
No scientific instrument detects a soul; it is a spiritual and philosophical concept rather than a physical object. Belief in it rests on faith, tradition, or personal conviction instead of measurement, which is why its existence remains a matter of religion and philosophy rather than of settled science.
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