procession
Americannoun
-
processions
plural
-
the act of moving along or proceeding in orderly succession or in a formal and ceremonious manner, as a line of people, animals, vehicles, etc.
-
the line or body of persons or things moving along in such a manner.
-
Ecclesiastical. an office, litany, etc., said or sung in a religious procession.
-
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.
-
the act of coming forth from a source.
verb (used without object)
noun
-
the act of proceeding in a regular formation
-
a group of people or things moving forwards in an orderly, regular, or ceremonial manner
-
a hymn, litany, etc, sung in a procession
-
Christianity the emanation of the Holy Spirit
verb
Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of procession
before 1150; early Middle English (< Old French ) < Late Latin prōcessiōn- (stem of prōcessiō ) a religious procession, literally, a marching on. See process, -ion
Explanation
A procession of mimes walking through the streets of your town would be surprising and somewhat terrifying. A line or group of people moving together in a deliberate way is a procession. You're most likely to see a procession during some kind of ceremony, parade, or festival. A line of cars moving together to a cemetery is a funeral procession, and a bunch of parents pushing babies in strollers in a parade are also a procession. Another meaning of procession is any line or succession of people moving continuously, like a procession of local politicians knocking on your door one afternoon. The root of procession is the Latin processio, "marching forward."
Vocabulary lists containing procession
Power Prefix: pro
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Daily life briefly gave way to the procession.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
During the funeral procession, some mourners shoulted, “Allahu Akbar!” or “God is great.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
On seeing the procession, she added: "I am so glad I came. It was absolutely amazing."
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
Senators from both parties entered in procession behind Tim Scott, Graham's fellow South Carolina Republican, as a US Army brass quintet played "Amazing Grace" and "America the Beautiful."
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
That winter I caught a procession of sore throats and couldn’t sing, and one night Dad called me to him and pried my mouth open to look at my tonsils.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
They often hold public processions and are widely seen receiving alms of goodwill from ordinary Thais.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
Ashura processions are usually dramatic affairs, with chanters singing elegies or dirges dedicated to Hussein, while audience members beat their chests and engage in displays of mourning.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026
Based on an island tradition, last celebrated in 1914, it marked the first full moon of February with light, art and torchlit processions.
From BBC ● Mar. 29, 2026
Instead he took to wearing colorful robes while making grand processions to Friday prayers and giving interviews to the foreign press.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 4, 2026
The nuns loved her too, always choosing Lina to read the lesson during silent dinners or to carry the Virgencita in the Sodality of Mary processions.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
