mortification
UK: ˌmɔːtɪfɪˈkeɪʃən | US: ˌmɔːrtɪfɪˈkeɪʃən
n. 1. A feeling of shame, humiliation, or wounded pride.
n. 2. The action of subduing one's bodily desires (religious/ascetic context).
n. 3. (Archaic) The death or decay of living tissue; gangrene.
mortification = mort<death> + i + fic<make> + ation<noun suffix>
- mort (from Latin mors, "death"): Retains the core meaning of death or decay.
- fic (from Latin facere, "to make"): Implies causation or action.
- -ation: A noun-forming suffix indicating a process or result.
Etymology Origin:
Derived from Late Latin mortificatio ("putting to death"), the word evolved through Old French (mortification) into English. Initially tied to literal death (e.g., tissue decay), it later metaphorized to describe emotional "death" (shame) or ascetic practices of "killing" desires. The dual sense reflects the Latin root’s physical and spiritual connotations.
She burned with mortification after tripping on stage.
Medieval monks practiced mortification to purify their souls.
The wound’s mortification required immediate treatment.
His public failure was a source of deep mortification.
The sermon emphasized mortification of worldly pleasures.