ritual
[ rich-oo-uhl ]
/ ˈrɪtʃ u əl /
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noun
adjective
of the nature of or practiced as a rite or ritual: a ritual dance.
of or relating to rites or ritual: ritual laws.
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QUIZ YOURSELF ON “THEIR,” “THERE,” AND “THEY’RE”
Are you aware how often people swap around “their,” “there,” and “they’re”? Prove you have more than a fair grasp over these commonly confused words.
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Which one of these commonly confused words can act as an adverb or a pronoun?
synonym study for ritual
1. See ceremony.
OTHER WORDS FROM ritual
Words nearby ritual
ritonavir, ritornello, Ritschlian, ritter, Ritter's disease, ritual, ritual bath, ritualism, ritualist, ritualistic, ritualization
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for ritual
British Dictionary definitions for ritual
ritual
/ (ˈrɪtjʊəl) /
noun
the prescribed or established form of a religious or other ceremony
such prescribed forms in general or collectively
stereotyped activity or behaviour
psychol any repetitive behaviour, such as hand-washing, performed by a person with a compulsive personality disorder
any formal act, institution, or procedure that is followed consistentlythe ritual of the law
adjective
of, relating to, or characteristic of religious, social, or other rituals
Derived forms of ritual
ritually, adverbWord Origin for ritual
C16: from Latin rītuālis, from rītus rite
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Medical definitions for ritual
ritual
[ rĭch′ōō-əl ]
n.
A detailed act or series of acts carried out by an individual to relieve anxiety or to forestall the development of anxiety.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.