rite of passage
Americannoun
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Anthropology. a ceremony performed to facilitate or mark a person's change of status upon any of several highly important occasions, as at the onset of puberty or upon entry into marriage or into a clan.
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any important act or event that serves to mark a passage from one stage of life to another.
noun
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a ceremony performed in some cultures at times when an individual changes his status, as at puberty and marriage
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a significant event in a transitional period of someone's life
Etymology
Origin of rite of passage
First recorded in 1955–60
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.
It was a wistful and exciting moment, a rite of passage for many privileged middle-class parents around this time of year.
From Salon • May 31, 2026
In the 1970s and 1980s, teen employment routinely topped 50%, as bagging groceries, flipping burgers and lifeguarding were considered a rite of passage for young Americans.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2026
Harry Potter: A Hogwarts Express Adventure will open at the Southern California Railway Museum this summer for guests to experience the Wizarding World rite of passage aboard a real moving train in the Inland Empire.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026
Besides, being broke and having to pinch pennies in college is a rite of passage, right?
From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026
Off we went on this Hindu rite of passage, Mother carrying me, Auntie propelling her.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
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.
