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Seance: meaning, definitions and examples

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seance

 

[ seɪˈɑːns ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

spiritual meeting

A séance is a meeting at which people attempt to make contact with the spirits of the dead, often using a medium. The practice is rooted in various spiritual and religious beliefs that contend the dead can communicate with the living. Séances are frequently associated with the Spiritualist movement, which began in the 19th century and involves various rituals and practices intended to facilitate communication. Participants typically sit around a table, hold hands, and focus their energy to invite spiritual presence. The outcomes of séances can range from reported experiences of communication to skepticism regarding their validity.

Synonyms

ghost sitting, medium session, spiritual gathering

Examples of usage

  • We gathered for a séance in hopes of contacting our ancestors.
  • The séance led to unexpected revelations about the past.
  • Attending a séance can be both thrilling and unsettling.
  • Many skeptics dismiss the efficacy of a séance.

Translations

Translations of the word "seance" in other languages:

🇵🇹 sessão

🇮🇳 सत्र

🇩🇪 Sitzung

🇮🇩 sesi

🇺🇦 сеанс

🇵🇱 sesja

🇯🇵 セッション

🇫🇷 séance

🇪🇸 sesión

🇹🇷 oturum

🇰🇷 세션

🇸🇦 جلسة

🇨🇿 sezení

🇸🇰 sedenie

🇨🇳 会议

🇸🇮 seja

🇮🇸 fundur

🇰🇿 сессия

🇬🇪 სესია

🇦🇿 seans

🇲🇽 sesión

Etymology

The word 'séance' comes from the French term meaning 'session' or 'sitting', derived from the Latin word 'sedere', meaning 'to sit'. Its usage began to reflect the practice of coming together to communicate with the spirits, particularly during the rise of Spiritualism in the late 19th century. As people sought to connect with loved ones who had passed, séances became popular social events. The public's fascination with the supernatural and the unknown fueled the development of various methodologies in conducting séances, leading to the involvement of mediums who professed to be able to bridge the gap between the living and the deceased. Over time, séances have been both celebrated as genuine means of communication and criticized as charlatanry, contributing to the complex history of spiritual exploration.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #30,144 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.