adjective
astral
Relating to a supposed spiritual realm beyond the physical world.
The novel describes an astral journey beyond the character's physical body.
Etymology
Latin astrum means star. The star-related adjective was extended in esoteric traditions to a supposed nonphysical realm, giving it a spiritual sense beyond its literal reference to the heavens.
In context
With things like spirits existing on the astral plane, thoughts on the mental plane, and matter on the physical plane
More examples
- She studies accounts of supposed astral projection.
- The character claims to visit an astral realm during sleep.
- An astral body appears in the book's spiritual cosmology.
Similar words
- spiritual
- Is broader and need not imply an out-of-body realm.
- ethereal
- Suggests an insubstantial quality without specifying a spiritual plane.