spiritualism

[ spir-i-choo-uh-liz-uhm ]

See synonyms for: spiritualism spiritualistic on Thesaurus.com

noun

the belief or doctrine that the spirits of the dead, surviving after the mortal life, can and do communicate with the living, especially through a person (a medium) particularly susceptible to their influence.
the practices or phenomena associated with this belief.

the belief that all reality is spiritual.
Metaphysics. any of various doctrines maintaining that the ultimate reality is spirit or mind.
spiritual quality or tendency.
insistence on the spiritual side of things, as in philosophy or religion.

Origin of spiritualism

First recorded in 1825–35; spiritual + -ism

Other words from spiritualism

spir·it·u·al·is·tic, adjective
spir·it·u·al·is·ti·cal·ly, adverb
an·ti·spir·it·u·al·ism, noun
an·ti·spir·it·u·al·is·tic, adjective

Words that may be confused with spiritualism

spirited, spiritual, spiritualistic

Words Nearby spiritualism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use spiritualism in a sentence

That’s why they’re marrying spiritualism with practical steps.
Where Shepherds Save Wolves — Thanks to Buddhism | Charu Kasturi | March 10, 2021 | Ozy
She rejected vaccination and vivisection and moved toward spiritualism.
Determined to practice medicine, two sisters defied conventions | Janet Golden | February 5, 2021 | Washington Post
He is deeply rooted in a heartfelt and learned cosmopolitan spiritualism.
Meet The Democrats’ Secret Savior Against Cuomo Corporatism | James Poulos | September 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Nevertheless, the triumph of West Coast spiritualism over East Coast secularism has civilization-wide implications.
Can Heritage Foundation Posterboy Bono Save the GOP? | James Poulos | March 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
All three were anxious," Gray writes, "that the rise of spiritualism would block the advance of scientific materialism.
Our Crazy Quest for Immortality | Malcolm Jones | May 14, 2011 | THE DAILY BEAST

The miracles are believed in by many, but spiritualism lags far behind the Mormon theology, and probably always will do.
Ancient Faiths And Modern | Thomas Inman
That which goes by the names of clairvoyance and spiritualism is based solely upon an unreasoning credulity.
Ancient Faiths And Modern | Thomas Inman
After a time clairvoyance was replaced by spiritualism, and I was again challenged to test the virtue of mediums.
Ancient Faiths And Modern | Thomas Inman
Such a culmination has been attained by the believers in Modern spiritualism.
Mystic London: | Charles Maurice Davies
The fact that I do so shows, at all events, that I have looked seriously at spiritualism since.
Mystic London: | Charles Maurice Davies

British Dictionary definitions for spiritualism

spiritualism

/ (ˈspɪrɪtjʊəˌlɪzəm) /

noun

the belief that the disembodied spirits of the dead, surviving in another world, can communicate with the living in this world, esp through mediums
the doctrines and practices associated with this belief

philosophy the belief that because reality is to some extent immaterial it is therefore spiritual
any doctrine (in philosophy, religion, etc) that prefers the spiritual to the material
the condition or quality of being spiritual

Derived forms of spiritualism

spiritualist, noun
spiritualistic, adjective

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

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