Word
ablution
Phoneticsablu·tion
US/əˈbɫuʃən/
UK/ɐblˈuːʃən/
Countable & uncountable
Definition
n. the act of washing your body, especially for religious reasons or to clean something very dirty. It can also mean the process of washing away something bad, like a crime.
n. the act of washing the body, typically for religious purification or as a ritual. In a figurative sense, it refers to the removal of guilt or the cleansing of a surface from a contaminant.
Examples
“The soldier performed his daily ablution before the morning meal.”
“The priest performed the ablution at the altar to prepare for the ceremony.”
“The chemical process of ablution was necessary to remove the toxic residue from the laboratory equipment before the next experiment could begin.”
Examples
simple
“The soldier performed his daily ablution before the morning meal.”
contextual
“The priest performed the ablution at the altar to prepare for the ceremony.”
complex
“The chemical process of ablution was necessary to remove the toxic residue from the laboratory equipment before the next experiment could begin.”
Etymology
From Middle English ablucioun (“cleansing of impurities”), from Old French ablution, and its source, Late Latin ablūtiō (“a washing away”), from abluō (“wash away”), from ab- (“away”) + lavō (“wash”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Rare
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/ablution