veneration

[ven-uh-rey-shuhn]

noun

1. the act of venerating.

2. the state of being venerated.

3. the feeling of a person who venerates; a feeling of awe, respect, etc.; reverence.

   They were filled with veneration for their priests.

   Antonyms: disrespect

4. an expression of this feeling.

   A memorial was erected in veneration of the dead of both world wars.

veneration

/ ˌvɛnəˈreɪʃən /

noun

1. a feeling or expression of awe or reverence

2. the act of venerating or the state of being venerated

Other Word Forms

• venerational adjective
• venerative adjective
• veneratively adverb
• venerativeness noun
• unvenerative adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of veneration¹

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin venerātiōn- (stem of venerātiō ), equivalent to venerāt ( us ) ( venerate ) + -iōn- -ion

Synonym Study

See respect.

Example Sentences

He receives his due — at times, veneration — for the luminous courage that held together a loose coalition of colonies against the world’s foremost military power.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The hate crime, which targeted Black people, resulted in nine deaths and sparked a mass movement against the veneration of figures who fought to perpetuate slavery in America.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The bone fragments have since been distributed to countries like Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar, where they remain objects of veneration.

Read more on BBC

Viewers want stars to regurgitate their notable dialogue or react in shock or veneration for the viral sounds, but that’s not what they’re being paid to do.

Read more on Salon

"Today we can't imagine the veneration of Hindu, Jain or Buddhist divine spirits or deities without a human form, can we? Which is what makes this transition so interesting," says Sushma Jansari, the exhibition's curator.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• adoration 
• reverence