# ablution

/əˈbɫuʃən/ (US) · /ɐblˈuːʃən/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ablution
Updated: 2026-05-18

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.