disfellowship

[ dis-fel-oh-ship ]

noun

1. (in some Protestant religions) the status of a member who, because of some serious infraction of church policy, has been denied the church's sacraments and any post of responsibility and is officially shunned by other members.

verb (used with object)

, dis·fel·low·shiped, dis·fel·low·ship·ing or (especially British) dis·fel·low·shipped, dis·fel·low·ship·ping.

1. to place in the status of disfellowship.

disfellowship

/ ˌdɪsˈfɛləʊʃɪp /

verb

1. to excommunicate

Word History and Origins

Origin of disfellowship¹

First recorded in 1600–10; dis- ¹ + fellowship

Example Sentences

Churches did not disfellowship each other over the organ question, but many congregations divided on it.

From Project Gutenberg