interfaith
in-ter-FAYTH
/ˌɪn.təˈfeɪθ/
Relating to, involving, or between members of different religious faiths or spiritual traditions.
Refers to constructive dialogue, cooperation, and community initiatives across distinct faith boundaries.
The story behind the word. A modern English compound created in the early twentieth century by combining the Latin prefix 'inter-' (between) with Old French 'feid' (faith, from Latin 'fides'). It rose to prominence following the 1893 World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago.
Word relationships
- ecumenical: Ecumenical strictly refers to cooperation between different branches of Christianity, whereas interfaith spans entirely distinct global religions.
- multi-faith: Multi-faith describes an environment containing many religions; interfaith emphasizes interaction BETWEEN those religions.
- sectarian: Sectarian describes rigid devotion to a single narrow religious group.
- intrafaith: Intrafaith refers to activities occurring strictly within a single religious movement.
Commonly confused with
- ecumenical: Ecumenical is within Christianity; interfaith crosses all religious borders.
Word family
- interfaithism (noun): The movement advocating understanding among different religions.
Collocations
- interfaith dialogue
- interfaith coalition
- interfaith service
Example sentences
- "The interfaith council brought together Rabbis, Imams, and Priests to coordinate emergency relief." Community news report on local charity.
- "The university hosted an interfaith dialogue exploring shared moral values across global traditions." Academic seminar description.
Memory hook
INTERnational connects nations; INTERFAITH connects faiths. Bridge BETWEEN different faiths.
When not to use
Do not use to describe discussions within a single religion's sects (use 'intrafaith' or 'ecumenical').
Fun facts
- The World's Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893 is widely regarded as the birth of the modern global interfaith movement.
Explore more words
ecumenical, multicultural, interconnectedness, secular, temple, symbiotic
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