veneration
Americannoun
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the act of venerating.
-
the state of being venerated.
-
the feeling of a person who venerates; a feeling of awe, respect, etc.; reverence.
They were filled with veneration for their priests.
- Antonyms:
- disrespect
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an expression of this feeling.
A memorial was erected in veneration of the dead of both world wars.
noun
-
a feeling or expression of awe or reverence
-
the act of venerating or the state of being venerated
Synonym Usage
See respect.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of veneration
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin venerātiōn- (stem of venerātiō ), equivalent to venerāt ( us ) ( see venerate) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
Veneration is similar to worship or respect: we feel veneration for things and people we adore and are devoted to completely. This is a strong word. The main meaning is for a type of religious zeal: if you unquestionably believe in your religion, then you feel and show veneration for your god and beliefs. Also, veneration can apply outside religion when you have enormous respect for something or someone. Great people like Martin Luther King or Mother Theresa inspire veneration. If you feel a combination of awe and love for someone, you are full of veneration.
Vocabulary lists containing veneration
Pride and Prejudice
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The Federalist Papers, No. 14 by James Madison
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Society and Solitude
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Veneration, however, is a term used to mean “giving the highest level of respect” to the sacred, but not the divine.
From Slate • Apr. 9, 2013
Veneration I grow up in Confraternity of Christian Doctrine classes where we discuss the differences between worship and veneration.
From Slate • Apr. 9, 2013
Passion According to St. John, hymnal service followed by Veneration of the Cross.
From New York Times • Mar. 25, 2010
Veneration for the sepulchre and reverence for the dead belong to the most ancient instincts of the human race.
From Time Magazine Archive
I own to you, that of all the Princesses whom ever I had the Honour to approach, I don’t know one more deserving of the Veneration of the Public.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
