ec·u·men·i·cal / ˌekyəˈmenikəl/ • adj. representing a number of different Christian churches: ∎  promoting or relating to unity among the world's Christian churches: ecumenical dialogue.DERIVATIVES: ec·u·men·i·cal·ly adv.

ecumenical pert, to the universal church XVI; world-wide XVII. f. late L. œcumenicus — Gr. oikoumenikós, f. hē oikouménē (sc. gê earth) the inhabited world, pp. fem. of oikeîn inhabit, f. oîkos house; see WICK2, -ICAL.

ecumenical originally (from the late 16th century), belonging to the universal Church; later, promoting or relating to unity among the world's Christian Churches, as in ecumenical movement, a movement for the reunification of the various branches of the Christian Church worldwide.

The word comes via late Latin from Greek oikoumenikos from oikoumenē ‘the (inhabited) earth’.