ecumenical
Americanadjective
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general; universal.
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pertaining to the whole Christian church.
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promoting or fostering Christian unity throughout the world.
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of or relating to a movement ecumenical movement, especially 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.
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interreligious or interdenominational.
an ecumenical marriage.
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including or containing a mixture of diverse elements or styles; mixed.
an ecumenical meal of German, Italian, and Chinese dishes.
adjective
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of or relating to the Christian Church throughout the world, esp with regard to its unity
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tending to promote unity among Churches
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of or relating to the international movement initiated among non-Catholic Churches in 1910 aimed at Christian unity: embodied, since 1937, in the World Council of Churches
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rare universal; general; worldwide
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ecumenical
1835–45; < Late Latin oecumenicus belonging to the whole inhabited world (< Greek oikoumenikós, equivalent to oikoumen- (stem of passive present participle of oikeîn to inhabit) + -ikos -ic ) + -al 1
Explanation
The adjective ecumenical refers to something universal, or something that has a wide, general application. You might refer to a wide assortment of ethnic foods served together as being ecumenical, and you'd be technically correct, as the word does mean something general and worldwide. But the term is most widely connected with religious unity, specifically Christianity. The original Greek root word, oikos, means "house," and that grew into the word oikoumenikós, which means "the entire world." Today it most often refers to bringing people of diverse Christian religions together; however, an ecumenical service might bring Christians, Jews, and Muslims together under one roof.
Vocabulary lists containing ecumenical
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., "Beyond Vietnam" (1967)
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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
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"Speech on the Vietnam War, 1967" by Martin Luther King Jr.
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As Roosevelt moved the U.S. toward intervention, he sent an envoy to the Vatican, hoping to craft global, ecumenical religious alliances—and there was no alliance he coveted more than with the Roman Catholic Church.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026
Then he travelled to Iznik for an ecumenical celebration marking 1,700 years since the First Council of Nicaea, one of the early Church's most important gatherings.
From Barron's • Nov. 30, 2025
As well as meeting the Pope, the King will attend an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel.
From BBC • Mar. 17, 2025
In 1431, the ecumenical Council of Basel ordered the deans and rectors of churches to expel "frivolities" and "profane abuses" from holy buildings, but implicitly allowed them to take place in the squares outside.
From Salon • Dec. 24, 2024
The minister, who took his ecumenical and—some felt—slightly impersonal remarks from Saint Paul’s sermon on Love from First Corinthians, talked for about half an hour.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
