Excommunication: meaning, definitions and examples
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excommunication
[ ˌɛkskəˌmjunɪˈkeɪʃən ]
church punishment
The act of excommunicating or cutting off from the fellowship of the church. It is a severe ecclesiastical penalty that deprives the offender of the rights of church membership.
Synonyms
banishment, expulsion, ostracism.
Which Synonym Should You Choose?
| Word | Description / Examples |
|---|---|
| excommunication |
Officially being expelled from a religious community. Typically used in formal, religious contexts where a person is removed from membership in a church or religious group.
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| expulsion |
Being forced to leave an organization or institution, such as a school or club. It is often used in formal or official contexts.
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| banishment |
Being sent away from a place, often permanently, as a form of punishment. It can be used in both historical and fictional contexts.
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| ostracism |
Being deliberately excluded from a social group or community. It often implies a social rather than a formal exclusion and has a negative connotation.
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Examples of usage
- His excommunication from the church was a result of his controversial views.
- The excommunication was a harsh punishment for his actions.
social exclusion
The act of excluding or shunning someone from a social group or community. It is a form of disciplinary action to enforce conformity or punish disobedience.
Synonyms
alienation, ostracism, segregation.
Which Synonym Should You Choose?
| Word | Description / Examples |
|---|---|
| excommunication |
Used in religious contexts when someone is officially excluded from participating in the religious community or its sacraments.
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| ostracism |
Refers to the act of excluding someone from a society or group, usually through social shunning or ignoring. This term has a negative connotation.
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| alienation |
Describes the feeling of being isolated or estranged from a group or an environment, often used in psychological or social contexts.
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| segregation |
Denotes the enforced separation of different racial, social, or other groups, often with a historical or legal implication.
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Examples of usage
- She faced excommunication from the group after the betrayal.
- The excommunication led to her feeling isolated and alone.
Translations
Translations of the word "excommunication" in other languages:
🇵🇹 excomunhão
🇮🇳 बहिष्कार
🇩🇪 Exkommunikation
🇮🇩 pengucilan
🇺🇦 відлучення від церкви
🇵🇱 ekskomunika
🇯🇵 破門 (はもん)
🇫🇷 excommunication
🇪🇸 excomunión
🇹🇷 aforoz
🇰🇷 파문 (破門)
🇸🇦 الحرمان الكنسي
🇨🇿 exkomunikace
🇸🇰 exkomunikácia
🇨🇳 逐出
🇸🇮 izobčenje
🇮🇸 útskúfun
🇰🇿 шіркеуден аластату
🇬🇪 ეკსკომუნიკაცია
🇦🇿 aforoz
🇲🇽 excomunión
Etymology
The term 'excommunication' originated from the Latin word 'excommunicatio', which means 'putting out of communication'. It has been a form of punishment used by various religious institutions throughout history to maintain discipline and authority.