an act of redeeming or atoning for a fault or mistake, or the state of being redeemed.
deliverance; rescue.
Theology. deliverance from sin; salvation.
atonement for guilt.
repurchase, as of something sold.
paying off, as of a mortgage, bond, or note.
recovery by payment, as of something pledged.
conversion of paper money into specie.
Origin of redemption
1300–50;Middle Englishredempcioun (< Middle Frenchredemption) < Late Latinredēmptiōn- (stem of redēmptiō), equivalent to Latinredēmpt(us) (past participle of redimere to redeem) + -iōn--ion
Related formsre·demp·tion·al, adjectivere·demp·tion·less, adjectivenon·re·demp·tion, nounpost·re·demp·tion, nounpre·re·demp·tion, noun
mid-14c., "deliverance from sin," from Old French redemcion (12c.) and directly from Latin redemptionem (nominative redemptio) "a buying back, releasing, ransoming" (also "bribery"), noun of action from past participle stem of redimere "to redeem, buy back," from red- "back" (see re-) + emere "to take, buy, gain, procure" (see exempt). The -d- is from the Old Latin habit of using red- as the form of re- before vowels. In the Mercian hymns, Latin redemptionem is glossed by Old English alesnisse.
