visitation

[viz-i-tey-shuhn]

noun

1. the act of visiting.

2. a formal visit, as one permitted by a court's granting of visitation rights or by parents invited to a school to observe the work of students.

3. a visit for the purpose of making an official examination or inspection, as of a bishop to a diocese.

4. (usually initial capital letter),  the visit of the Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. Luke 1:36–56.

5. (initial capital letter),  a church festival, held on July 2, in commemoration of this visit.

6. the administration of comfort or aid, or of affliction or punishment.

   a visitation of the plague.

7. an affliction or punishment, as from God.

8. the appearance or coming of a supernatural influence or spirit.

visitation

¹

/ ˌvɪzɪˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. an official call or visit for the purpose of inspecting or examining an institution, esp such a visit made by a bishop to his diocese

2. a visiting of punishment or reward from heaven

3. any disaster or catastrophe

   a visitation of the plague

4. an appearance or arrival of a supernatural being

5. any call or visit

6. informal,  an unduly prolonged social call

Visitation

²

/ ˌvɪzɪˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. 1. the visit made by the Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth (Luke 1:39–56)

   2. the Church festival commemorating this, held on July 2

2. a religious order of nuns, the Order of the Visitation, founded in 1610 by St Francis of Sales and dedicated to contemplation and the cultivation of humility, gentleness, and sisterly love

Other Word Forms

• visitational adjective
• intervisitation noun
• revisitation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of visitation¹

1275–1325; < Latin vīsitātiōn- (stem of vīsitātiō ), equivalent to vīsitāt ( us ) (past participle of vīsitāre; visit, -ate ¹ ) + -iōn- -ion; replacing Middle English visitacioun < Anglo-French < Latin, as above

Example Sentences

This will allow Combs “to address drug abuse issues and to maximize family visitation and rehabilitative efforts,” lawyer Teny Geragos wrote.

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“Individuals in restrictive housing still have full access to courts, visitation, mail, showers, meals, all medical facilities and recreation.”

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After a series of unfortunate eventsand increasingly violent visitations, a media frenzy surrounds them and the Warrens turn up to rid the house of creepy crawlies.

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ICE allows online "visitations", and she often gets through to her 18-year-old sister.

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Last month, she saw nine Black men piled into a visitation room, surrounded with glass windows, that holds a small table and four chairs.

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