commination

American  

[kom-uh-ney-shuhn] / ˌkɒm əˈneɪ ʃən /

noun

1. a threat of punishment or vengeance.

2. a denunciation.

3. (in the Church of England) a penitential office read on Ash Wednesday in which God's anger and judgments are proclaimed against sinners.

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commination British  

/ -trɪ, ˈkɒmɪnətərɪ, ˌkɒmɪˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of threatening punishment or vengeance

2. Church of England a recital of prayers, including a list of God's judgments against sinners, in the office for Ash Wednesday

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Other Word Forms

• comminative adjective
• comminator noun
• comminatory adjective

Etymology

Origin of commination

1400–50; late Middle English (< Anglo-French ) < Latin comminātiōn- (stem of comminātīo ), equivalent to commināt ( us ), past participle of comminārī to threaten ( com- com- + minārī to threaten) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

In that hour that earlier form of absolution will reverse itself on his lips into one of commination.

From The Book-Bills of Narcissus An Account Rendered by Richard Le Gallienne by Le Gallienne, Richard

MALEDICTON, curse, imprecation, denunciation, execration, anathema, ban, proscription, excommunication, commination, fulmination.

From Public Speaking by Stratton, Clarence

He's cursed me forever—Put it all down in black and white—a regular commination service.

From The Incomplete Amorist by Nesbit, E. (Edith)

Then follows a commination at the end, which is not unusual in such cases.

From The Catholic World; Volume I, Issues 1-6 A Monthly Eclectic Magazine by Rameur, E.

Nowhere, however, in this Epistle is there any trace of an established ministry; on the contrary, at the close, the 'spiritual' among them are instructed to administer the office of commination.

From Supernatural Religion, Vol. III. (of III) An Inquiry into the Reality of Divine Revelation by Cassels, Walter Richard