spiritualism
spiritualism Lexical Profile
spiritualism Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A system of belief or religious practice based on the conviction that the spirits of the dead exist and have both the ability and the inclination to communicate with the living, especially through a medium.
"During the late nineteenth century, interest in spiritualism grew rapidly across both Europe and North America."
The philosophical doctrine that the ultimate reality of the universe is spiritual or immaterial rather than physical, and that the finite mind or spirit is the fundamental substance of existence.
"In metaphysics, his lectures contrasted classical materialism with various forms of nineteenth-century French spiritualism."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'spiritualism' with 'spirituality'; while 'spirituality' refers broadly to a person's religious or transcendent inner life, 'spiritualism' specifically denotes the belief in communicating with the spirits of the dead or the philosophical doctrine that all reality is fundamentally spiritual.
• Rhymes for spiritualism
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the late 18th century from 'spiritual' (ultimately from Latin spiritus, meaning 'breath' or 'spirit') and the suffix '-ism'; the sense relating to communication with the dead emerged in the mid-19th century alongside the rise of the modern Spiritualist movement in New York.