spirituality

From Middle French spiritualité, from Late Latin spīrituālitās.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌspɪɹ.ə.t͡ʃuˈæl.ə.tɪ/

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• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌspɪɹ.ə.t͡ʃuˈæl.ə.tɪ/, [ˌspɪɹ.ə.t͡ʃuˈæl.ə.ɾɪ]

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• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˌspɪɹ.ɪ.t͡ʃʉˈæl.ə.tɪ/, [ˌspɪɹ.ɪ.t͡ʃʉˈæl.ə.ɾɪ]

spirituality (countable and uncountable, plural spiritualities)

1. The quality or state of being spiritual.
   • 1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, 6th edition, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: […] J[ames] Bettenham, for Jonah Bowyer, […], published 1727, →OCLC:
     , "The Ways of Wisdom are Ways of Pleasantness"

     a pleasure made for the soul, suitable to its spirituality

   • 1614, Walter Ralegh [i.e., Walter Raleigh], The Historie of the World […], London: […] William Stansby for Walter Burre, […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=1 to 5):

     If this light be not spiritual, yet it approacheth nearest unto spirituality.

   • 1841, Edward Bickersteth, A Treatise of Prayer:

     Much of our spirituality and comfort in public worship depends on the state of mind in which we come.

2. Concern for that which is unseen and intangible, as opposed to physical or mundane.
3. Appreciation for religious values.
4. (obsolete) That which belongs to the church, or to a person as an ecclesiastic, or to religion, as distinct from temporalities.
   • 1765–1769, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, (please specify |book=I to IV), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC:

     During the vacancy of a see, the archbishop is guardian of the spiritualities thereof.

5. (obsolete) An ecclesiastical body; the whole body of the clergy, as distinct from, or opposed to, the temporality.
   • 1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC:

     Five entire subsidies were granted to the king by the spirituality.

• materialism