spirituality
Americannoun
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the quality or fact of being spiritual.
Life in modern society is all work and no spirituality.
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incorporeal or immaterial nature.
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predominantly spiritual character as shown in thought, life, etc.; spiritual tendency or tone.
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Often spiritualities. property or revenue of the church or of an ecclesiastic in their official capacity.
noun
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the state or quality of being dedicated to God, religion, or spiritual things or values, esp as contrasted with material or temporal ones
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the condition or quality of being spiritual
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a distinctive approach to religion or prayer
the spirituality of the desert Fathers
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(often plural) Church property or revenue or a Church benefice
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of spirituality
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English from Medieval Latin spīrituālitās; see spiritual, -ity
Explanation
Spirituality has to do with the spirit, not as in ghosts, but as in the essence of being human — your soul or your inner life. Spirituality often has to do with religion, but it doesn't have to. You might say, "I'm not religious; but I have a strong sense of spirituality," which might mean that you practice yoga or meditation, or you pray with a group, or you nurture your spirit by spending time in nature. Religions usually have defined beliefs, rituals, and guidelines; spirituality is more individual.
Vocabulary lists containing spirituality
Selection Vocabulary 3, Unit 1
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Eid Al-Fitr
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All Saints' Day
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In our own journeys as queer individuals of faith, we have been questioned and criticized for our sexuality, our spirituality and our challenging of traditional Christian norms.
From Salon • Jun. 5, 2026
It wasn’t until I got to the emergency room set that I was like, “Oh, this whole period ... ” — the spirituality of that.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026
Before passing sentence, Judge Jessica Peterson told Chasing Horse he preyed on women's spirituality, adding: "You manipulated them for your own personal gratification."
From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026
A spirituality informed by pragmatism, so familiar to readers of Niebuhr, led him to devise the Christian realism that underpinned his vision of American global leadership.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
“As I see it, they have to do with love, responsibility, spirituality, awareness. And if I were healthy today, those would still be my issues. They should have been all along.”
From "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
