Spiritual
Middle English: from Old French spirituel, from Latin spiritualis, from spiritus (see spirit).
wiktionary
From Middle English spiritual, spirituel, from Old French spirituel, from Late Latin spiritualis, from Latin spiritus.
etymonline
spiritual (adj.)
c. 1300, "of or concerning the spirit" (especially in religious aspects), from Old French spirituel, esperituel (12c.) or directly from a Medieval Latin ecclesiastical use of Latin spiritualis "of or pertaining to breath, breathing, wind, or air; pertaining to spirit," from spiritus "of breathing, of the spirit" (see spirit (n.)). Meaning "of or concerning the church" is attested from mid-14c. Related: Spiritually. An Old English word for "spiritual" was godcundlic.
In avibus intellige studia spiritualia, in animalibus exercitia corporalia [Richard of St. Victoror (1110-1173): "Watch birds to understand how spiritual things move, animals to understand physical motion." - E.P.]
spiritual (n.)
"African-American religious song," 1866, from spiritual (adj.). Earlier "a spiritual thing" (1660s).
