PROPITIATION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does propitiation mean? 

• PROPITIATION (noun)
  The noun PROPITIATION has 2 senses:

1. the act of placating and overcoming distrust and animosity

2. the act of atoning for sin or wrongdoing (especially appeasing a deity)

  Familiarity information: PROPITIATION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PROPITIATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of placating and overcoming distrust and animosity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

conciliation; placation; propitiation

Hypernyms ("propitiation" is a kind of...):

appeasement; calming (the act of appeasing (as by acceding to the demands of))

Derivation:

propitiate (make peace with)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The act of atoning for sin or wrongdoing (especially appeasing a deity)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

atonement; expiation; propitiation

Hypernyms ("propitiation" is a kind of...):

redemption; salvation ((theology) the act of delivering from sin or saving from evil)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "propitiation"):

amends; reparation (something done or paid in expiation of a wrong)

 Context examples 

He carried his head on one side, partly in modest depreciation of himself, partly in modest propitiation of everybody else.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)