propitiation
Americannoun
-
the act of propitiating; conciliation.
the propitiation of the wrathful gods.
-
something that propitiates.
Usage
What does propitiation mean? Propitiation is the act of gaining the favor of or making things right with someone, especially after having done something wrong. Propitiation is the noun form of the verb propitiate, meaning to appease or gain the favor of. Close synonyms of propitiation are conciliation and appeasement. Like those words, propitiation is commonly used in a religious context. It’s especially used in Christianity to refer to the act of propitiation that Christians believe Jesus made to atone for sin—or to the atonement that Christians believe they should make to God. Example: Without propitiation, there can be no redemption.
Other Word Forms
- nonpropitiation noun
Etymology
Origin of propitiation
1350–1400; Middle English propiciacioun < Late Latin propitiātiōn- (stem of propitiātiō ) appeasement. See propitiate, -ion
Explanation
Propitiation is an action meant to regain someone's favor or make up for something you did wrong. You might offer your mom a plate of chocolate chip cookies in propitiation for killing all her houseplants while she was away. Propitiation comes from a form of the Latin verb "propitiare," which means “to appease.” If you’re doing something in propitiation, that’s your basic goal: to regain favor. Propitiation often involves a god or gods, traditional or not. If your team lost last year's championship, propitiation of the football gods may be necessary this year. More broadly you can offer propitiation to anyone you need to appease. Propitiation may be needed if you show up late to class again.
Vocabulary lists containing propitiation
Great Expectations
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The Crucible, Acts 1–2
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David Copperfield
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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.
“But she completely devolves to where she goes into weakness and propitiation around the girls, and it’s strange where she ends up. I didn’t see it coming.”
From New York Times • Dec. 27, 2021
The ideal is a lone figure, kneeling in solemn propitiation, with no sight of rival film crews, or of selfie sticks, or anything else that brings self-consciousness or artifice to the scene.
From The New Yorker • Nov. 16, 2015
To the ancients, wind and sun, sea and forest grove seemed to be informed by inscrutable spirits to whom, in awe and propitiation, they gave human personality and shape.
From Time Magazine Archive
“They’re really very good, you know,” he added, with a rather nervous smile of propitiation.
From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
Max had, however, taken some pieces of meat with him, and these he held out in propitiation.
From Between Sun and Sand A Tale of an African Desert by Scully, W. C. (William Charles)
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.
