Spiritism
/ˈspɪr.ɪ.tɪ.zəm/noun
A belief system centered on communication with the spirits of the dead, especially through mediums.
Did you know?The word ultimately descends from Latin spiritus, meaning “breath” or “breathing,” because ancient people treated breath as the visible sign of an invisible life-force.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*speis-
“to blow, breathe”
Latin
Latin
spiritus
“breath, life, courage; later, a disembodied spirit”
Late Latin
Latin
spiritualis
“of breathing or of the spirit”
French
French
spiritisme
“doctrine of communication with spirits”
19th Century
English
spiritism
“belief in communication with the spirits of the dead”