interfaith
IN-ter-fayth
/ˈɪntəfeɪθ/
Relating to, involving, or connecting people of different religious faiths and traditions.
Highlights cooperation and dialogue across distinct major religions (e.g., Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Buddhist).
The story behind the word. A modern 20th-century compound joining the Latin prefix 'inter-' (between) with Old French 'feit' (faith, derived from Latin 'fides'). The term gained global momentum following the 1893 Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago, which marked the first formal gathering of Western and Eastern spiritual leaders.
Word relationships
- interreligious: Interreligious is a slightly more formal, academic synonym with identical meaning.
- multifaith: Multifaith describes a space or event containing many faiths, whereas interfaith highlights active interaction between those faiths.
- sectarian: Sectarian emphasizes narrow division within or between groups.
Commonly confused with
- ecumenical: Ecumenical typically refers to cooperation across branches of Christianity, whereas interfaith crosses boundaries between completely distinct religions.
Collocations
- interfaith dialogue
- interfaith council
- interfaith marriage
- interfaith coalition
Example sentences
- "The local interfaith alliance organized a joint food drive supported by synagogues, mosques, and temples." Community Organizing
Memory hook
Inter (between) + Faith = connecting between different faiths. Interfaith = bridges between religions.
When not to use
Do not use for differences within the same religion; use 'ecumenical' or 'interdenominational' for that.
Fun facts
- The 1893 Chicago Parliament of World Religions introduced Swami Vivekananda to the West, sparking modern global interfaith initiatives.
Explore more words
ecumenical, multicultural, interconnectedness, secular, temple, symbiotic
Also appears in
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