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• reformation
  reformation

  noun

  the act of changing to a better state or character, way of operating, lifestyle, etc.; the correction of abuses and bad habits or practices.
• Reformation
  Reformation

  noun

  a religious and political movement of 16th-century Europe that began as an attempt to reform the Roman Catholic Church and resulted in the establishment of the Protestant Churches

reformation

American  

[ref-er-mey-shuhn] / ˌrɛf ərˈmeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of changing to a better state or character, way of operating, lifestyle, etc.; the correction of abuses and bad habits or practices.

   Last year the team underwent a reformation under the direction of a new head coach.

   The reformation of the justice system in that country is long overdue.

   Synonyms:

   reform, correction, betterment, improvement

2. an improved state or way of functioning that results from the correction of abuses and bad habits or practices.

   The gambler's so-called reformation lasted exactly one month.

3. Church History. the Reformation, the 16th-century movement that began with the objective of correcting theology and practice in the Roman Catholic Church and that ultimately led to the establishment of the Protestant churches.

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reformation ¹ British  

/ ˌrɛfəˈmeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of reforming or the state of being reformed

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Reformation ² British  

/ ˌrɛfəˈmeɪʃən /

noun

1. a religious and political movement of 16th-century Europe that began as an attempt to reform the Roman Catholic Church and resulted in the establishment of the Protestant Churches

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Reformation Cultural  

1. A religious movement in the sixteenth century that began as an attempted reform of the Roman Catholic Church but resulted in the founding of Protestant church es separate from it. Some of the leaders of the Reformation were Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Knox. The Reformation was established in England after King Henry VIII declared himself head of the Christian Church in that country.

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Other Word Forms

• nonreformation
  noun
• nonreformational
  adjective
• post-Reformation
  noun
• pre-Reformation
  noun
• prereformation
  adjective
• reformational
  adjective
• self-reformation
  noun
• superreformation
  noun

Etymology

Origin of reformation

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English reformacion, from Latin refōrmātiōn-, stem of refōrmātiō, from refōrmāt(us) “reformed” (past participle of refōrmāre “to form again”; see reform) + -iō -ion

Explanation

Reformation means making changes to something with the intention of setting it back on the right path. Your life will be easier after the reformation of the transportation system, when the buses run more frequently. The act or process of changing a religious, political, or societal institution for the better is called a reformation. When capitalized, the Reformation refers specifically to the Protestant Reformation in Europe, which was a religious change instigated in 1517 by Protestants who wished to reform the Catholic Church. The root of reformation is the Latin word reformare, which means to form again or to change.

Example Sentences

In Maryland, we have conducted genealogical research that has already identified living relatives of boys buried after having died or been killed at the House of Reformation.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

These were pushed forward in the 16th century during the Protestant Reformation, when both England and Scotland embraced the new faith, and after 1603, when both countries shared a single monarch.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

A team from Georgetown University is investigating their deaths at the House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children, a segregated juvenile detention facility in Cheltenham, Maryland, and memorializing them.

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

"Yule vacations" were outlawed in 1640 due to Reformation influences and it was only recognised as a public holiday in 1958.

From BBC • Dec. 29, 2025

Unsurprisingly, church music was a rather more sombre affair, and the ordinary churchgoer prior to the Protestant Reformation is likely to have found singing in church a miserable, largely non- partidpatory activity.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Related Words

• realignment
• renewal
• reorganization
• transformation