Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Related Searches
Synonyms
Nearby Words

ecumenical

 - 3 dictionary results

ec⋅u⋅men⋅i⋅cal

  [ek-yoo-men-i-kuhl or, especially Brit., ee-kyoo-]
Use ecumenical in a Sentence
–adjective
1. general; universal.
2. pertaining to the whole Christian church.
3. promoting or fostering Christian unity throughout the world.
4. of or pertaining to a movement (ecumenical movement), esp. among Protestant groups since the 1800s, aimed at achieving universal Christian unity and church union through international interdenominational organizations that cooperate on matters of mutual concern.
5. interreligious or interdenominational: an ecumenical marriage.
6. including or containing a mixture of diverse elements or styles; mixed: an ecumenical meal of German, Italian, and Chinese dishes.
Also, ec⋅u⋅men⋅ic, oecumenical, oecumenic.

Origin:
1835–45; < LL oecumenicus belonging to the whole inhabited world (< Gk oikoumenikós, equiv. to oikoumen- (s. of pass. prp. of oikeîn to inhabit) + -ikos -ic ) + -al 1

Related forms:
ec⋅u⋅men⋅i⋅cal⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To ecumenical
ec·u·men·i·cal   (ěk'yə-měn'ĭ-kəl)   
adj.  

  1. Of worldwide scope or applicability; universal.

    1. Of or relating to the worldwide Christian church.

    2. Concerned with establishing or promoting unity among churches or religions.


[From Late Latin oecūmenicus, from Greek oikoumenikos, from (hē) oikoumenē (gē), (the) inhabited (world), feminine present passive participle of oikein, to inhabit, from oikos, house; see weik-1 in Indo-European roots.]
ec'u·men'i·cal n., ec'u·men'i·cal·ism n., ec'u·men'i·cal·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

ecumenical 
c.1570, formed in Eng. as an ecclesiastical word, as if from L. oecumenicus "general, universal," from Gk. oikoumenikos, from he oikoumene ge "the inhabited world (as known to the ancient Greeks); the Greeks and their neighbors considered as developed human society," from oikoumenos, pr. passive participle of oikein "inhabit," from oikos "house, habitation" (see villa).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Search another word or see ecumenical on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way