excommunicate

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˌɛkskəˈmjunəkeɪt/ UK /ˌɛkskəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/ See IPA manual

Freq #56220

Meanings

1

verb
to officially exclude someone from participation or membership in a church or religious community

Church authorities threatened to excommunicate the rebellious cleric.
2

verb
to expel or exclude someone from any group or community; formal or figurative

The association effectively excommunicated members who challenged its leadership.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to officially exclude... disfellowshipanathematize

2 verb · to expel or exclude someone... expel ostracize banish

Opposites

admit reinstate reconcile

Word family

Forms excommunicated

Derived forms excommunicationexcommunicant

Related forms communion church banishment

Etymology

From Late Latin excommunicare, 'to put out of the community,' built from ex-, 'out of,' + communicare, 'to share or make common.' Its formal church sense later extended figuratively to exclusion from other groups.

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# excommunicate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˌɛkskəˈmjunəkeɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌɛkskəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/
**Frequency rank:** 56220

## Meanings
1. to officially exclude someone from participation or membership in a church or religious community
2. to expel or exclude someone from any group or community; formal or figurative

## Examples
- Church authorities threatened to excommunicate the rebellious cleric.
- The association effectively excommunicated members who challenged its leadership.

## Synonyms
- disfellowship
- anathematize
- expel
- ostracize
- banish

## Antonyms
- admit
- reinstate
- reconcile

## Derived Forms
- excommunication
- excommunicant

## Related Forms
- communion
- church
- banishment

## Etymology
From Late Latin excommunicare, 'to put out of the community,' built from ex-, 'out of,' + communicare, 'to share or make common.' Its formal church sense later extended figuratively to exclusion from other groups.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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