soul
- the principle of life, feeling, thought, and action in humans, regarded as a distinct entity separate from the body, and commonly held to be separable in existence from the body; the spiritual part of humans as distinct from the physical part.
- the spiritual part of humans regarded in its moral aspect, or as believed to survive death and be subject to happiness or misery in a life to come: arguing the immortality of the soul.
- the disembodied spirit of a deceased person: He feared the soul of the deceased would haunt him.
- the emotional part of human nature; the seat of the feelings or sentiments.
- a human being; person.
- high-mindedness; noble warmth of feeling, spirit or courage, etc.
- the animating principle; the essential element or part of something.
- the inspirer or moving spirit of some action, movement, etc.
- the embodiment of some quality: He was the very soul of tact.
- (initial capital letter) Christian Science. God; the divine source of all identity and individuality.
- shared ethnic awareness and pride among black people, especially black Americans.
- deeply felt emotion, as conveyed or expressed by a performer or artist.
- soul music.
- of, characteristic of, or for black Americans or their culture: soul newspapers.
Origin of soul
Synonyms
See more synonyms for soul on Thesaurus.comExamples from the Web for soul
Contemporary Examples
Education controls the transmission of values and molds the spirit before dominating the soul.
Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim PresidentPierre Assouline
January 9, 2015
Ragtime, blues, country, jazz, soul, and rock and roll were all pioneered or inspired by black artists.
You mix up English working-class gruffness with African-American soul from the Deep South.
Perhaps every reproduction of a piece of art steals a part of its soul.
Tim Burton Talks ‘Big Eyes,’ His Taste For the Macabre, and the ‘Beetlejuice’ SequelMarlow Stern
December 17, 2014
Alas, his soul is willing, but his flesh is weak and he whiffs.
Historical Examples
All pursuits that serve to connect the soul with the world whence it came are rejected.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
I have never seen the soul withdrawn without a struggle with the body.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
When the soul was again led into the body, it related all that had happened to it.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
Then I heard a voice, saying, 'Lo, the soul seeketh to ascend!'
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
The good bishop believed she had jeopardised her soul with divorce.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
soul
- the spirit or immaterial part of man, the seat of human personality, intellect, will, and emotions, regarded as an entity that survives the body after deathRelated adjective: pneumatic
- Christianity the spiritual part of a person, capable of redemption from the power of sin through divine grace
- the essential part or fundamental nature of anything
- a person's feelings or moral nature as distinct from other faculties
- Also called: soul musica type of Black music resulting from the addition of jazz, gospel, and pop elements to the urban blues style
- (as modifier)a soul singer
- (modifier) of or relating to Black Americans and their culturesoul brother; soul food
- nobility of spirit or temperamenta man of great soul and courage
- an inspiring spirit or leading figure, as of a cause or movement
- a person regarded as typifying some characteristic or qualitythe soul of discretion
- a person; individualan honest soul
- the life and soul See life (def. 28)
- upon my soul! an exclamation of surprise
Word Origin
Soul
- Christian Science another word for God
Word Origin and History for soul
n.1
"A substantial entity believed to be that in each person which lives, feels, thinks and wills" [Century Dictionary], Old English sawol "spiritual and emotional part of a person, animate existence; life, living being," from Proto-Germanic *saiwalo (cf. Old Saxon seola, Old Norse sala, Old Frisian sele, Middle Dutch siele, Dutch ziel, Old High German seula, German Seele, Gothic saiwala), of uncertain origin.
Sometimes said to mean originally "coming from or belonging to the sea," because that was supposed to be the stopping place of the soul before birth or after death [Barnhart]; if so, it would be from Proto-Germanic *saiwaz (see sea). Klein explains this as "from the lake," as a dwelling-place of souls in ancient northern Europe.
Meaning "spirit of a deceased person" is attested in Old English from 971. As a synonym for "person, individual, human being" (e.g. every living soul) it dates from early 14c. Soul-searching (n.) is attested from 1871, from the phrase used as a past participle adjective (1610s). Distinguishing soul from spirit is a matter best left to theologians.
n.2
"instinctive quality felt by black persons as an attribute," 1946, jazz slang, from soul (n.1). Also from this sense are soul brother (1957), soul sister (1967), soul food (1957), etc. Soul music, essentially gospel music with "girl," etc., in place of "Jesus," first attested 1961; William James used the term in 1900, in a spiritual/romantic sense, but in reference to inner music.
Idioms and Phrases with soul
soul
In addition to the idiom beginning with soul
- soul of, the
also see:
- bare one's soul
- heart and soul
- keep body and soul together
- kindred spirit (soul)
- living soul