ENGLISH
REFERENCE

pilgrimage

n. · v.
US //ˈpɪɫɡɹəmədʒ// UK //pˈɪlɡɹɪmɪdʒ// pil·grim·age
  1. 1 religious journey (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Religion

    a journey to a holy place to show respect or to pray.

    a journey to a shrine or other sacred place undertaken as an act of religious devotion.

    Example

    Every year, thousands of people make a pilgrimage to the holy city.

    Example

    The medieval cathedral remained a major site of pilgrimage for centuries, drawing believers from across the continent who sought spiritual healing.

    Usage

    Often used with the verb 'make' or 'go on'.
  2. 2 meaningful visit (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a trip to a place that is very important to you for personal or cultural reasons.

    a journey to a place associated with someone or something respected or admired.

    Example

    The fans made a pilgrimage to the stadium where their favorite team first won.

    Example

    For many young writers, a visit to the poet's remote cottage is a necessary pilgrimage to understand the landscape that inspired his work.
  3. 3 to travel as a pilgrim (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Literary

    to travel to a special or holy place.

    to perform or go on a pilgrimage. Intransitive use.

    Example

    They decided to pilgrimage across the mountains to reach the ancient temple.

    Example

    Having spent his youth in the city, he chose to pilgrimage back to his ancestral village to find peace in his final years.
Origin

From Middle English pilgrimage. By surface analysis, pilgrim + -age.

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

Last updated June 20, 2026