German word

geistlich

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈgaɪ̯stlɪç/

Meaning

  • adjectivespiritual

Example

Wir sprechen über geistliche Themen.

We are discussing spiritual matters.

Illustration for geistlich (spiritual)

More examples

Meditation kann geistliches Wachstum fördern.

Meditation can promote spiritual growth.

Core concept

A church service, its minister, and the religious life connected with them.

Common phrases

  • geistliche Führung

    spiritual guidance

  • geistliches Wachstum

    spiritual growth

  • geistliche Literatur

    spiritual literature

Similar words

religiös: Connected with faith, religious practices, or religious teachings.
spirituell: Concerned with inner spiritual experience or a personal sense of meaning.
kirchlich: Connected directly with the church, its services, or its clergy.
geistig: Relating to intellectual activity, mental functions, or psychological processes.

Definition in German

kennzeichnet etwas, das zur Kirche, zum geistlichen Amt oder zur religiösen Praxis gehört.

Word origin

Geistlich is formed from the Germanic noun Geist ('spirit') and the adjective suffix -lich, with a meaning tied to religious or church life.

Usage tips

  • Geistlich usually means religious or church-related, whereas geistig usually means intellectual or mental, so the two adjectives are not interchangeable.

Other meanings

  • ecclesiasticaladjective

Opposites

  • materialistischmaterialisticadjective

Related words

  • Geistlichkeitspiritualitynoun
  • Geistlicherclergymannoun

Word lists with this word