Definition of ECUMENICAL (original) (raw)
1
a
: of, relating to, or representing the whole of a body of churches
b
: promoting or tending toward worldwide Christian unity or cooperation
2
: worldwide or general in extent, influence, or application
Examples of ecumenical in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web Reed does make many valid points about ecumenical hypocrisy and the iterative nature of organized religion. —
Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 10 Sep. 2024 The Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration 2024 kicked off Thursday with an ecumenical service at Kingdom Apostolic Ministries, 4900 E. 38th St. and is in full swing through June 30. —Cheryl V. Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 22 June 2024 Good Shepherd New York is an ecumenical church that has been based out of the Seminary since January 2020. —Téa Kvetenadze, New York Daily News, 13 Apr. 2024 In this account, the postwar period marked the moment when Europeans discovered—or perhaps rediscovered—humanitarianism, universal human rights, ecumenical Christianity, the appreciation of diverse cultures, a respect for science, and a broadly accessible consumer culture. —Paul Betts, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2020 See all Example Sentences for ecumenical 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ecumenical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Late Latin oecumenicus, from Late Greek oikoumenikos, from Greek oikoumenē the inhabited world, from feminine of oikoumenos, present passive participle of oikein to inhabit, from oikos house — more at vicinity
First Known Use
circa 1587, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Time Traveler
The first known use of ecumenical was circa 1587
Dictionary Entries Near ecumenical
Cite this Entry
“Ecumenical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ecumenical. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
Share
More from Merriam-Webster on ecumenical
Last Updated: 14 Sep 2024 - Updated example sentences
Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!