ritualization

[ rich-oo-uh-luh-zey-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of ritualizing.
2. Ethology. the alteration of a behavior pattern, as by a change in intensity, in a way that increases its effectiveness as a signal to other members of the species.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ritualization¹

First recorded in 1930–35; ritualize + -ation