Word
excommunication
Phoneticsex·com·mu·ni·ca·tion, stress on the fifth syllable
US/ˌɛkskəmˌjunəˈkeɪʃən/
UK/ɛkskəmjˌuːnɪkˈeɪʃən/
Countable & uncountable
Definition
n. the act of being officially banned from a church or religious group. It usually means you are no longer allowed to take part in their services or receive their blessings.
n. the formal exclusion of a member from a religious body, typically resulting in the loss of spiritual privileges. Often used in the context of the Catholic Church or other formal Christian denominations.
Examples
“The priest warned him that his actions could lead to excommunication.”
“After the scandal broke, the bishop faced the possibility of excommunication from the local diocese.”
“Historical records show that excommunication was often used as a political tool to isolate dissenters and prevent them from gaining influence within the community.”
Examples
simple
“The priest warned him that his actions could lead to excommunication.”
contextual
“After the scandal broke, the bishop faced the possibility of excommunication from the local diocese.”
complex
“Historical records show that excommunication was often used as a political tool to isolate dissenters and prevent them from gaining influence within the community.”
Etymology
From Middle English excommunicacion, from Late Latin excommūnicātiō. By surface analysis, excommunicate + -ion. Displaced native Old English āmǣnsumung.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- 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.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL 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: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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