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despiritualization

despiritualization

9.9
A loss of spiritual meaning or feeling in daily life
  • noun
  • /dɪˌspɪrɪtʃuəlaɪˈzeɪʃən/
  • US
translation icon : desespiritualización
  • Tocqueville had the greatness of soul to anticipate that this "realization of the human race," of man as such, could only lead to "an unimaginable impoverishment, flattening and despiritualization of life."

Examples

  • Many scholars argue that modern technology contributes to the despiritualization of society by prioritizing material wealth over spiritual values.

  • The organization aimed to prevent the despiritualization of its members through community engagement.

  • His poetry reflects a deep concern for the despiritualization of culture in an increasingly secular world.

Synonyms

unsanctification
vsdespiritualization
  • Formal
9.9

The act of making something not holy

is broader, covering loss of inner meaning or sacred significance
deconsecration
vsdespiritualization
  • Formal
9.4

To remove a building's religious status so it can be used for other things

is a general loss of inner meaning or sacred quality beyond formal acts

Antonyms

To give ordinary things a religious or sacred meaning

How Spiritual

despiritualization
  • US
9.9
secularization
  • Specialized
3 7.7

Surface Forms

Morphology

despiritualization = despiritualize (transparent) = de + spirit + ual + ize + ation

The noun is a regular and readily interpretable action/result formation from the verb 'despiritualize'.

Etymology

Despiritualization breaks into parts: the prefix de- meaning 'remove', the core spirit meaning 'breath', as in the word inspire, and the ending -ization meaning 'the process of'. So, despiritualization is the process of taking away spiritual meaning or 'breath' from things like rituals, art, or daily life.