How is the word 'spirituality' understood?

What is the meaning of the word 'spirituality'? What does it really mean? I understand that it could mean several things and is to be understood in specific context, but is there any general understanding of the term? Given a certain description of it, how can it be reconciled with the concept of a 'spiritual authority'? For example, in the context of political Islam and caliphate, there is difference of opinion related to whether the caliph is a temporal authority, spiritual authority or both. Sometimes I feel as though 'spirituality' is used just for quasi-obscurantism, i.e. it purports to claim that there are some very real matters pertaining to a very real and *accessible* 'spiritual realm,' (perhaps to select few) but then hides every description of it. The purpose of it being - in addition to the superiority of the elite few - a lure of the occult that works to numb the inquisition of a critical mind.