noun
soul
sohl
noun
1
The spiritual or immaterial part of a person, often believed to continue after death.
"She believed the soul lives on after the body dies."
2
The essential or defining quality of something; its life and character.
"The old market is the soul of the city."
3
A genre of African American popular music known for its emotional, gospel-influenced style.
"He grew up listening to classic soul records from the sixties."
4
A person, especially thought of as one among many.
"Not a soul was on the street that night."
How to Use Soul
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe spiritual essence of a person, or the deep, defining heart of something — also a music genre.
Common pairings
body and soul
soul music
not a soul
the soul of the city
Word Forms
souled past tense, souled past tense, souls plural, souls singular, souls singular
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Etymology
From Old English sawol ("soul, life, spirit"), a Germanic word of uncertain ultimate origin.