expiation
UK: ˌɛkspɪˈeɪʃən | US: ˌɛkspiˈeɪʃən
n. the act of making amends or reparation for guilt or wrongdoing; atonement
n. (religious context) a ritual or offering to remove sin or pollution
expiation = ex<out> + pi<atone> + ation<noun suffix>
- ex (Latin: "out") → Implies removal or cleansing.
- pi (from Latin piare, "to appease, atone") → Core meaning of purification or reconciliation.
- ation (noun-forming suffix) → Denotes the process or result of the action.
Etymology Origin:
Derived from Latin expiare ("to atone for"), combining ex- (thoroughly) + piare (purify). Originally tied to religious rites (e.g., sacrifices to cleanse guilt), the term evolved into secular contexts for any act of redress. The morphemes reflect a literal "purging out" of sin.
The priest performed a ritual of expiation to cleanse the community’s sins.
She viewed her charity work as a form of personal expiation.
Ancient cultures often linked expiation with animal sacrifices.
His apology served as a feeble attempt at expiation for years of neglect.
Legal systems sometimes demand financial expiation for crimes.