procession

[pruh-sesh-uhn]

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.

verb (used without object)

1. to go in procession.

procession

/ 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

verb

1. rare,  (intr) to go in procession

Word History and Origins

Origin of procession¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of procession¹

C12: via Old French from Latin prōcessiō a marching forwards

Example Sentences

“The Cortège,” running this September at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, revives an ancient art — the procession — turning it into a communal release of grief.

From Los Angeles Times

Bloody Sunday families and supporters are travelling to Belfast by bus and will then walk a short distance in a procession to court.

From BBC

With fears over security and protests, there won't be any cheering crowds and no public procession, like the one recently enjoyed by France's President Emmanuel Macron.

From BBC

A theatrical procession running this month at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, “The Cortège” promises to explore grief, loss, mourning and our collective disconnection from one another.

From Los Angeles Times

And the wedding itself was a glittering affair, with Noel Coward and Douglas Fairbanks Jr adding Hollywood sparkle and Queen Elizabeth II leading a procession of the royal families of Europe.

From BBC

Related Words

• cortege 
• motorcade 
• succession 

When To Use

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.