procession

American  

[pruh-sesh-uhn] / prəˈsɛʃ ən /

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.

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verb (used without object)

1. to go in procession.

procession British  

/ 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

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verb

1. rare (intr) to go in procession

Usage

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.

Etymology

Origin of procession

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

Example Sentences

Hundreds of mourners including families and children slowly filled the space, where a large screen projected the funeral procession and police officers and uniformed soldiers sat in plastic chairs.

From Barron's

When the darkness descended on Britain's most northerly islands on Tuesday, the Jarl Squad was joined by more than 40 other torch-clutching groups of revellers for the evening procession - the festival's main event.

From BBC

As we join the hundreds of townspeople gathered in the Plaza Mayor, we watch the solemn procession approach.

From Literature

Videos shared on social media show armed agents standing in the middle of the intersection while a procession of unmarked vehicles turned into 11th Street.

From Los Angeles Times

With the help of her family, Avril's dream came true and she travelled 3,400 miles to watch the vibrant procession on New Year's Day.

From BBC

Related Words

• cortege
• motorcade
• succession