meditation

American  

[med-i-tey-shuhn] / ˌmɛd ɪˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of meditating.

2. continued or extended thought; reflection; contemplation.

3. Transcendental Meditation.

4. devout religious contemplation or spiritual introspection.

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meditation British  

/ ˌmɛdɪˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of meditating; contemplation; reflection

2. contemplation of spiritual matters, esp as a religious practice

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Etymology

Origin of meditation

First recorded in 1175–1225; from Latin meditātiōn-, stem of meditātiō “contemplation, planning”; equivalent to meditate + -ion

Example Sentences

Almost immediately, much like in my morning meditation practice, I began to notice my frenetic, future-oriented thinking.

From Los Angeles Times

"My goal, when I enter the water, is to gain a state of meditation, of inner peace."

From Barron's

All the meditation and yoga make the movie soft when it should be hard.

From Los Angeles Times

And they participated in activities like fitness, meditation and surfing during the day, while receiving schooling at night in a program for students no longer in the formal education system.

From Barron's

Classes included economics and English, as well as meditation, calligraphy and kendo, a martial art.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• introspection
• reflection
• rumination
• self-examination