geistlich
Translation
spiritual (religious), clerical, ecclesiastical
Examples
Er führt ein sehr geistliches Leben.
He leads a very spiritual life.
Das ist ein altes geistliches Lied.
That is an old hymn.
Der Priester trägt geistliche Kleidung.
The priest wears clerical clothing.
Grammar Patterns
((as adjective)) spiritual, clerical He is a spiritual leader.
Similar Words
Synonyms: religiös (religious), kirchlich (church-related); Antonyms: weltlich (secular), säkular (secular)
Etymology
From 'Geist' (spirit), specifically in the sense of 'Holy Spirit', + the adjective suffix '-lich'.
Memory Tips
Don't confuse with 'geistig' (mental). The '-lich' suffix often implies 'relating to', so think of this as 'relating to the (holy) spirit' or 'church-ly'.