English Reference

Word

exorcism

Phoneticsex·or·cism

US/ˈɛksɝˌsɪzəm/

UK/ˈɛksəsˌɪzəm/

Definition

n. a religious or spiritual ceremony to drive out a demon or evil spirit from a person or place.

n. a ritual or ceremony performed to expel a demon or other malevolent spirit from a person or location.

Examples

“The priest performed an exorcism to help the man feel better.”

“In many cultures, an exorcism is a formal ritual involving specific prayers and symbols to cleanse a home of negative energy.”

“While modern psychology often attributes such behaviors to mental health issues, many traditional communities still view an exorcism as the only way to restore a person's spiritual balance.”

Examples

simple

“The priest performed an exorcism to help the man feel better.”

contextual

“In many cultures, an exorcism is a formal ritual involving specific prayers and symbols to cleanse a home of negative energy.”

complex

“While modern psychology often attributes such behaviors to mental health issues, many traditional communities still view an exorcism as the only way to restore a person's spiritual balance.”

Etymology

From Old French exorciser, from Late Latin exorcizō, from Ancient Greek ἐξορκίζω (exorkízō, “to ward off, to charge under oath, adjure”), from ἐξ (ex) + ὅρκος (hórkos).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

exorcismNounexorcistNoun

Domain

Religion

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference