Definition of ecumenical
1 : worldwide or general in extent, influence, or application
2a : of, relating to, or representing the whole of a body of churchesb : promoting or tending toward worldwide Christian unity or cooperation
From the M-W Editors
Recent Examples of ecumenical from the Web
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Founder of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, Paisley was a biblical literalist and a bitter foe of the worldwide ecumenical movement that was building bridges between the Protestant and Catholic faiths in the 1960s.
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Courier-Journal An ecumenical memorial service to pay tribute to Muhammad Ali's legacy has been scheduled at the plaza next to the Muhammad Ali Center for Saturday from 8 to 9 a.m.
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Activities will again continue on Sunday morning at 7 a.m. with the annual sunrise worship service complete with color guard from the Cub Scout pack from Annunciata Church and ecumenical choir.
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The alternative, of course, is an ecumenical cynicism toward everyone and everything.
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Bishop Newman also represented the bishops in Catholic-Jewish consultations under the committee on inter-religious and ecumenical affairs.
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Bishop Newman also represented the bishops in Catholic-Jewish consultations under the committee on interreligious and ecumenical affairs.
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That ecumenical gesture is characteristic of the Stetties’ cosmopolitan fervor, which extended to an active interest in the Harlem Renaissance, through their friend the critic, photographer, and patron Carl Van Vechten.
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Pope Francis' trips abroad often have geopolitical or ecumenical undertones.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ecumenical.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of ecumenical
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
ECUMENICAL Defined for English Language Learners
ecumenical
playDefinition of ecumenical for English Language Learners
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: involving people from different kinds of Christian churches
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Spanish Central: Translation of ecumenical Nglish: Translation of ecumenical for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of ecumenical for Arabic speakers
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