benediction
Americannoun
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an utterance of good wishes.
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the form of blessing pronounced by an officiating minister, as at the close of divine service.
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a ceremony by which things are set aside for sacred uses, as a church, vestments, or bells.
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Also called Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. (usually initial capital letter) a service consisting of prayers, at least one prescribed hymn, censing of the congregation and the Host, and a blessing of the congregation by moving in the form of a cross the ciborium or monstrance containing the Host.
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the advantage conferred by blessing; a mercy or benefit.
noun
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an invocation of divine blessing, esp at the end of a Christian religious ceremony
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a Roman Catholic service in which the congregation is blessed with the sacrament
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the state of being blessed
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of benediction
1400–50; late Middle English (< Middle French ) < Latin benedictiōn- (stem of benedictiō ). See Benedictus, -ion
Explanation
A benediction is a blessing — either a formal one that you might hear in a church service or an informal one that you might utter when you take any leap of faith. The noun benediction comes from the Latin roots bene, meaning "well" and diction meaning "to speak" — literally to speak well of. Although it is most often used in the religious sense of prayer and blessing — especially a ceremonial prayer at the end of a church service — it can mean any expression of good wishes. "Good luck on the test!" the mother cried in benediction as her son set off for school.
Vocabulary lists containing benediction
Take the Bad with the Good: Bene and Mal
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You Can Say That Again: Dic and Dict
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"The Drummer Boy of Shiloh"
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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.
And on Friday, the Chicago Sun-Times gave the ultimate benediction with its cover.
From Salon • May 10, 2025
Ma also offered a benediction to the repair shop, playing the Prelude from Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major on the same borrowed cello.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2025
Ellen Burstyn closed the luncheon with a benediction to celebrate the honorees, whom she praised.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 12, 2024
Advice given on New Year’s takes on the air of a benediction, a strong first sentence with which to begin a new chapter.
From New York Times • Dec. 30, 2023
He pronounced a hasty benediction: “Heavenly Father please make me a powerful instrument of Thy perfect will here in the Belgian Congo. Amen.”
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
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.
