procession

[ pruh-sesh-uhn ]

noun

1. the act of moving along or proceeding proceeding in orderly succession or in a formal and ceremonious manner, as a line of people, animals, vehicles, etc.
2. the line or body of persons or things moving along in such a manner.
3. Ecclesiastical. an office, litany, etc., said or sung in a religious procession.
4. Theology. the emanation of the Holy Spirit from the Father and later, in the Western Church, from the Son: distinguished from the “generation” of the Son and the “unbegottenness” of the Father.
5. the act of coming forth from a source.

verb (used without object)

1. to go in procession.

procession

/ prəˈsɛʃən /

noun

1. the act of proceeding in a regular formation
2. a group of people or things moving forwards in an orderly, regular, or ceremonial manner
3. a hymn, litany, etc, sung in a procession
4. Christianity the emanation of the Holy Spirit

verb

1. rare.
   intr to go in procession

Word History and Origins

Origin of procession¹

before 1150; early Middle English (< Old French ) < Late Latin prōcessiōn- (stem of prōcessiō ) a religious procession, literally, a marching on. See process, -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of procession¹

C12: via Old French from Latin prōcessiō a marching forwards

Example Sentences

Every half-hour, one doctor said, a funeral procession rumbled toward the cemetery.

From Washington Post

Americans have now become deeply familiar with this civics lesson, one that features members of the House striding slowly through the hall as though they are part of a funeral procession.

From Washington Post

I will be pleased to not join what looks like a funeral procession in the mall parking lot of people trying to find parking spaces.

From Washington Post

What followed was a procession of hateful attacks like the one Paul experienced.

From Ozy

The occasion of their procession is hypothetically related to the celebration of peace.

From Realm of History

The procession continued on to the Cypress Hill Cemetery, where Ramos was buried the week before.

From The Daily Beast

They repeated that several times and before the procession moved on.

From The Daily Beast

The NYPD Emerald Society pipes and drums struck up a slow march and the procession began the journey to the cemetery.

From The Daily Beast

This group was far larger, its procession stretching out over two to three city blocks and numbering more than a hundred.

From The Daily Beast

One depicts a procession of figures wearing both Mayan and Spanish garb, some holding what appear to be human hearts.

From The Daily Beast

Let me illustrate: Last week, month, or year you saw a military procession pass along the streets.

From Project Gutenberg

The mode of procession was a little out of the common order of such affairs; but so was the marriage.

From Project Gutenberg

Hundreds of soldiers already lined the streets to keep the crowd back out of the way of the procession.

From Project Gutenberg

The procession made its way slowly towards the river, three quarters of a mile to the east.

From Project Gutenberg

They made an odd procession as they marched out of the hall, under the sullen eyes of the baulked cut-throats and their mistress.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• cortege
• motorcade
• succession

More About Procession

What does procession mean?

A procession is a line of people or vehicles moving along in an orderly and often ceremonial way.

A very common example is a funeral procession, which is the line of cars or people traveling together to a burial. A parade is another kind of procession.

Procession is the noun form of the verb process, meaning to proceed in or as if in a procession.

Example: The procession was so long that they had to block traffic so it could stay together.

Where does procession come from?

The first records of the word procession come from the 1100s. It comes from the Latin word prōcessiōn-, which refers to a religious procession and literally means “a marching on” or “a marching forward.” The verb process is in fact a back formation of procession—which means the word procession came first and the verb process formed from it.

Processions are usually at least somewhat formal, and they’re often seen at religious or other ceremonial gatherings. At graduations, students and faculty members often enter in a long procession. Similar processions are seen during religious ceremonies or events like weddings. Funeral processions allow mourners to stay together so that they can arrive at the burial site or other ceremony at the same time.

A fancy name for a ceremonial procession is cortege.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to procession?

• process (verb)
• processional (noun)
• processionary (adjective)

What are some synonyms for procession?

• parade
• motorcade
• cortege
• march

What are some words that share a root or word element with procession? 

 

• process
• recession

What are some words that often get used in discussing procession?

 

• funeral
• parade
• church
• line
• file
• movement
• ceremony

How is procession used in real life?

Procession is perhaps most commonly used in the phrase funeral procession. It usually refers to something that’s formal and ceremonial.

REST IN PEACE, OFFICER GRANT: A police funeral procession is traveling across Springdale to Vineyard Church where Officer Kaia Grant will be laid to rest. https://t.co/5VCbDdOutx pic.twitter.com/mHZK9N00IH

— WLWT (@WLWT) March 29, 2020

FDR's funeral procession in front of White House, 75 years ago today: #Getty pic.twitter.com/TFSc01HORE

— Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) April 14, 2020

Tonight's mourning parade. Her family drove their cars in procession behind the funeral van carrying her casket, and friends waited on sidewalks to wave and cheer. The last vehicle in the cortege was a pick-up, and friends were able to place flowers, cards, etc in the truck bed. pic.twitter.com/1soZ6k2mm5

— Elizabeth Fournier (@elizfournier) May 18, 2020

 

 

Try using procession!

At which of the following events might there be a procession?

A. funeral
B. wedding
C. graduation
D. all of the above