soul

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The spiritual part of a person, often believed to live on after death.

   Many people believe the soul lives on after the body dies.

2. 2
   noun

   A person, especially when thought of as one among many.

   Fifty souls were lost when the ship sank.

3. 3
   noun

   The most important part, spirit, or essence of something.

   Honesty was the very soul of his character.

4. 4
   noun

   A style of popular music developed by Black American artists, blending gospel and rhythm and blues.

   Soul was politically significant during the Civil Rights movement.

From Middle English soule, sowle, saule, sawle, from Old English sāwol (“soul, life, spirit, being”), from Proto-West Germanic *saiwalu, from Proto-Germanic *saiwalō (“soul”), of an uncertain ultimate origin (see there for further information). Cognates Cognate with Scots saul, sowel (“soul”), Saterland Frisian Seele (“soul”), West Frisian siel (“soul”), Alemannic German Seel (“soul”), Central Franconian Siel (“soul”), Dutch ziel (“soul”), German Seele (“soul”), German Low German Seel (“soul”), Luxembourgish Séil (“soul, spirit”), Vilamovian zejł, zəjł, zyił (“soul”), Gothic 𐍃𐌰𐌹𐍅𐌰𐌻𐌰 (saiwala,…

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