spiritual

The word “spiritual” means relating to the soul, religion, or matters beyond the physical world. In plain terms, concerned with the soul or religion rather than the physical or material.

“Spiritual” is pronounced SPIH-riht-shoorl (/ˈspɪɹɪt͡ʃuəl/ in IPA).

Here is “spiritual” used in a sentence: “She found the retreat to be a deeply spiritual experience.”

Words with a similar meaning to “spiritual” include folk song.

Depending on how it is used, “spiritual” can be an adjective and a noun.

The word “spiritual” comes from Latin. From Latin spīritus, "spirit," via Old French spirituel.

“Spiritual” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Spiritual” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to the soul, religion, or matters beyond the physical world.

Religious usually means following the beliefs, rituals, and institutions of an organised faith. Spiritual is broader and more personal, concerning the soul, inner meaning, and connection to something beyond the physical, with or without a formal religion. Many people describe themselves as spiritual but not religious to capture this distinction.

A spiritual person is concerned with the inner life, the soul, and matters beyond the material world. This may involve religious faith, meditation, a sense of purpose, connection to nature, or a search for meaning. It centres on values and inner experience rather than purely physical or worldly things.

Yes. As a noun, a "spiritual" is a type of religious folk song, especially one rooted in the African American Christian tradition of the American South. As an adjective, though, it describes anything relating to the soul, religion, or the non-physical realm, which is its more common use.