VISITATION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does visitation mean? 

• VISITATION (noun)
  The noun VISITATION has 3 senses:

1. an annoying or frustrating or catastrophic event

2. any disaster or catastrophe

3. an official visit for inspection or supervision

  Familiarity information: VISITATION used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• VISITATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An annoying or frustrating or catastrophic event

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

trial; tribulation; visitation

Context example:

a visitation of the plague

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

affliction (a cause of great suffering and distress)

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

fire (a severe trial)

Derivation:

visit (impose something unpleasant)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Any disaster or catastrophe

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Context example:

a visitation of the plague

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

calamity; cataclysm; catastrophe; disaster; tragedy (an event resulting in great loss and misfortune)

Derivation:

visit (assail)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An official visit for inspection or supervision

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

the recent visitation of the bishop to his diocese

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

visit (the act of going to see some person or place or thing for a short time)

Derivation:

visit (come to see in an official or professional capacity)

 Context examples 

“’Tis a visitation for his black-hearted deeds, and there’s more behind and comin’, or else—”

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Oh, what a reward it is, said Uriah, drawing up one leg, at the risk of bringing down upon himself another visitation from my aunt, to be so trusted in!

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I filled the interval in walking softly about my room, and pondering the visitation which had given my plans their present bent.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

This research has important implications for the conservation and management of natural resources, especially related to natural hazards such as earthquakes as well as the impacts of human visitation.

(Song of the red rock arches, National Science Foundation)

She was constantly complaining of the cold, and of its occasioning a visitation in her back which she called “the creeps”.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I suppose, now, said Miss Ingram, curling her lip sarcastically, we shall have an abstract of the memoirs of all the governesses extant: in order to avert such a visitation, I again move the introduction of a new topic.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)