soul

[ sohl ]

/ soʊl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR soul ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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.

adjective

of, characteristic of, or for black Americans or their culture: soul newspapers.

Nearby words

sought, sought after, sought-after, souk, soukous, soul, soul brother, soul cake, soul food, soul kiss, soul mate

Origin of soul

before 900; Middle English; Old English sāwl, sāwol; cognate with Dutch ziel, German Seele, Old Norse sāl, Gothic saiwala

SYNONYMS FOR soul

1 spirit.

4 heart.

7 essence, core, heart.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR soul ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formssoul·like, adjectiveun·der·soul, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for soul

Education controls the transmission of values and molds the spirit before dominating the soul.
Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim President|Pierre Assouline|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
You mix up English working-class gruffness with African-American soul from the Deep South.
The Greatest Rock Voice of All Time Belonged to Joe Cocker|Ted Gioia|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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’ Sequel|Marlow Stern|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Alas, his soul is willing, but his flesh is weak and he whiffs.
After Torture Report, Our Moral Authority As a Nation Is Gone|Nick Gillespie|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Suppressed, banned, scorned—it seems to speak to something within the human mind (or soul, if you like) that is irrepressible.
Meet Krampus, the Seriously Bad Santa|Jay Michaelson|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His stomach was empty—which he knew, and his soul was empty—which he did not know.
A Rainy June and Other Stories|Ouida
She also beheld Jove sitting upon the highest top of many-rilled Ida, and he was hateful to her soul.
The Iliad of Homer (1873)|Homer
Great activity and worry is needless—it is poison to the soul.
Shandygaff|Christopher Morley
Suppose now she stood before him, wonder-eyes raised, seeking his soul's truth; hands resting in his until he should speak.
Joyce of the North Woods|Harriet T. Comstock
Elizabeth had loved Edward, would she not go with Mary to hear a mass for the repose of his soul?
In the Days of Queen Elizabeth|Eva March Tappan

British Dictionary definitions for soul (1 of 2)

soul

/ (səʊl) /

noun

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 music a 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

Derived Formssoul-like, adjective

Word Origin for soul

Old English sāwol; related to Old Frisian sēle, Old Saxon sēola, Old High German sēula soul

British Dictionary definitions for soul (2 of 2)

Soul

/ (səʊl) /

noun

Christian Science another word for God

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for soul (1 of 2)

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.

Word Origin and History for soul (1 of 2)

soul

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

soul

noun

adjective

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Nearby words

Origin of soul

Examples from the Web for soul

British Dictionary definitions for soul (1 of 2)

soul

noun

Word Origin for soul

British Dictionary definitions for soul (2 of 2)

Soul

noun

Word Origin and History for soul (1 of 2)

soul

Word Origin and History for soul (1 of 2)

soul

Idioms and Phrases with soul

soul