séance

[sey-ahns]

noun

1. a meeting in which a spiritualist attempts to communicate with the spirits of the dead.

2. a session or sitting, as of a class or organization.

seance

/ ˈseɪɑ̃ns, -ɑːns /

noun

1. a meeting at which spiritualists attempt to receive messages from the spirits of the dead

2. a meeting of a society

Spelling Note

See resume ².

Word History and Origins

Origin of séance¹

1795–1805; < French: session, equivalent to sé-, base of seoir to sit ¹ (< Latin sedēre ) + -ance -ance

Word History and Origins

Origin of séance¹

C19: from French, literally: a sitting, from Old French seoir to sit, from Latin sedēre

Example Sentences

An hour into “Sinners” comes a risky scene that could have derailed Ryan Coogler’s hit vampire movie: a juke-joint seance that involves a hip-hop DJ, a breakdancer, a Funkadelic-esque guitarist.

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In fact, she had visited the estate some months earlier to conduct a séance that did not go precisely as planned.

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The widow apologized to the admiral for the delay, but her position was clear: She would neither accept nor decline his offer of marriage until after the séance.

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At the very least, her suggestion that Madame Ionesco conduct a séance to speak to the spirit of Edward Ashton had bought Bertha and the Incorrigible children some time.

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She was tired, to be sure, but there was still a great deal of plotting and planning to do regarding this séance, and scant time in which to do it.

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