ecumenical

adjective

ec·​u·​men·​i·​cal ˌe-kyə-ˈme-ni-kəl 

-kyü-

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

ecumenically

ˌe-kyə-ˈme-ni-k(ə-)lē 

-kyü-

adverb

Examples of ecumenical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Evergreen and Rosedale were always remarkably ecumenical, permitting burials of people of color and non-European ethnicities — but in separate sections. —Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024

This is an ecumenical Christian group that includes the Catholic Latin patriarch of Jerusalem. —William McGurn, WSJ, 23 Oct. 2023

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

Phrases Containing ecumenical

• ecumenical patriarch

Kids Definition

ecumenical

adjective

ec·​u·​men·​i·​cal ˌek-yə-ˈmen-i-kəl 

1

: worldwide or general in extent, influence, or application

2

: of, relating to, or representing the whole of a body of churches

3

: leading toward agreement or cooperation among Christians

ecumenically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Etymology

from Latin oecumenicus "worldwide," from Greek oikoumenē "the inhabited world," from oikein "to inhabit," from oikos "house"