excommunicate
[ verb eks-kuh-myoo-ni-keyt; noun, adjective eks-kuh-myoo-ni-kit, -keyt ]
/ verb ˌɛks kəˈmyu nɪˌkeɪt; noun, adjective ˌɛks kəˈmyu nɪ kɪt, -ˌkeɪt /
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verb (used with object), ex·com·mu·ni·cat·ed, ex·com·mu·ni·cat·ing.
to cut off from communion with a church or exclude from the sacraments of a church by ecclesiastical sentence.
to exclude or expel from membership or participation in any group, association, etc.: an advertiser excommunicated from a newspaper.
noun
an excommunicated person.
adjective
cut off from communion with a church; excommunicated.
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Question 1 of 7
Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?
First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.
First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.
First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT Origin of excommunicate
1375–1425; late Middle English excommunicaten (v.) <Late Latin excommūnicātus literally, put out of the community (past participle of excommūnicāre), equivalent to ex-ex-1 + commūn(is) common, public + -ic- (by analogy with commūnicāre to communicate) + -ātus-ate1
OTHER WORDS FROM excommunicate
ex·com·mu·ni·ca·tor, nounun·ex·com·mu·ni·cat·ed, adjectiveWords nearby excommunicate
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for excommunicate
British Dictionary definitions for excommunicate
excommunicate
/ RC Church /
verb (ˌɛkskəˈmjuːnɪˌkeɪt)
(tr) to sentence (a member of the Church) to exclusion from the communion of believers and from the privileges and public prayers of the Church
adjective (ˌɛkskəˈmjuːnɪkɪt, -ˌkeɪt)
having incurred such a sentence
noun (ˌɛkskəˈmjuːnɪkɪt, -ˌkeɪt)
an excommunicated person
Derived forms of excommunicate
excommunicable, adjectiveexcommunication, nounexcommunicative or excommunicatory, adjectiveexcommunicator, nounWord Origin for excommunicate
C15: from Late Latin excommūnicāre, literally: to exclude from the community, from Latin commūnis common
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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