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Showing results for spiritualism. Search instead for Spiritual+Medium.
Synonyms

spiritualism

American  
[spir-i-choo-uh-liz-uhm] / ˈspɪr ɪ tʃu əˌlɪz əm /

noun

  1. 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.

  2. the practices or phenomena associated with this belief.

  3. the belief that all reality is spiritual.

  4. Metaphysics. any of various doctrines maintaining that the ultimate reality is spirit or mind.

  5. spiritual quality or tendency.

  6. insistence on the spiritual side of things, as in philosophy or religion.


spiritualism British  
/ ˈspɪrɪtjʊəˌlɪzəm /

noun

  1. the belief that the disembodied spirits of the dead, surviving in another world, can communicate with the living in this world, esp through mediums

  2. the doctrines and practices associated with this belief

  3. philosophy the belief that because reality is to some extent immaterial it is therefore spiritual

  4. any doctrine (in philosophy, religion, etc) that prefers the spiritual to the material

  5. the condition or quality of being spiritual

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of spiritualism

First recorded in 1825–35; spiritual + -ism

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.

This book by an Australian art critic turns a penetrating gaze on female artists who, in the 19th century and into the 20th, embraced spiritualism for sometimes uncertain reasons.

From New York Times • Jan. 11, 2024

The artist tapped into pre-Columbian mythology, landscape and spiritualism to craft serpentine altars, glistening cenotes and stone portals.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 29, 2023

We are more alike in our spiritualism than different.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 21, 2023

Raised Baptist, Pettijohn eventually balanced mindfulness work with church, and attends Unity Church, which is a Christian denomination that emphasizes spiritualism and universalism.

From Washington Post • Jul. 4, 2022

But that didn’t mean to everyone that all spiritualism was false.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman

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