ecumenical

[ ek-yoo-men-i-kuhlor, especially British, ee-kyoo- ]

adjective

1. general; universal.
2. pertaining to the whole Christian church.
3. promoting or fostering Christian unity throughout the world.
4. of or relating to a movement ecumenical movement, especially among Protestant groups since the 1800s, aimed at achieving universal Christian unity and church union through international interdenominational organizations that cooperate on matters of mutual concern.
5. interreligious or interdenominational:

   an ecumenical marriage.

6. including or containing a mixture of diverse elements or styles; mixed:

   an ecumenical meal of German, Italian, and Chinese dishes.

ecumenical

/ ˌiːkjʊˈmɛnɪkəl; ˌɛk- /

adjective

1. of or relating to the Christian Church throughout the world, esp with regard to its unity
2. 1. tending to promote unity among Churches
   2. of or relating to the international movement initiated among non-Catholic Churches in 1910 aimed at Christian unity: embodied, since 1937, in the World Council of Churches
3. rare.
   universal; general; worldwide

Derived Forms

• ˌecuˈmenically, adverb

Other Words From

• ecu·meni·cal·ly adverb
• nonec·u·menic adjective
• nonec·u·meni·cal adjective
• nonoec·u·menic adjective
• unoec·u·menic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ecumenical¹

1835–45; < Late Latin oecumenicus belonging to the whole inhabited world (< Greek oikoumenikós, equivalent to oikoumen- (stem of passive present participle of oikeîn to inhabit) + -ikos -ic ) + -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of ecumenical¹

C16: via Late Latin from Greek oikoumenikos, from oikein to inhabit, from oikos house

Example Sentences

Neal is really a lovely and brilliant, gentle soul, and he’s a spiritual seeker also, although very ecumenical.

From Time

Küng moved to a different department at Tübingen as a professor of ecumenical theology and as director of the university’s Institute for Ecumenical Research.

From Washington Post

Where are the Jewish leaders, who led an ecumenical campaign to free Soviet Jewry that inspired people all over the world?

From The Daily Beast

To celebrate together, after 17centuries, the first truly ecumenical synod.

From The Daily Beast

Benjamin Franklin believed in prayer but stressed the importance of ecumenical “public religion.”

From The Daily Beast

In his majority opinion, Kennedy tried to argue that the court was merely upholding that ecumenical tradition.

From The Daily Beast

When I commented that he was surprisingly ecumenical for an exorcist, he smiled.

From The Daily Beast

There was also a guarantee of full liberty for future conclaves and ecumenical councils.

From Project Gutenberg

The constitutio de fide has been adopted by the Ecumenical Council, nemine contradicente.

From Project Gutenberg

Our present problems are said to be waiting for the next Ecumenical Council.

From Project Gutenberg

Why not call an ecumenical council, appoint a commission to see to such things, and then forget the sacrilege?

From Project Gutenberg

As an ecclesiastical title it was used to imply, not universal (ecumenical), but a great and widespread jurisdiction.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• comprehensive