prostration
/pɹɒsˈtɹeɪʃən/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.09 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
3
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The act or condition of prostrating oneself (lying face-down), as a sign of humility.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
A part of the ordination of Catholic and Orthodox priests, in which the ordinand lies prostrate in a gesture of submission to the will of God.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "The ordination ceremony includes a variety of rituals, rich in meaning and history, e.g., the prostration, laying on of hands, anointing of hands, giving of the chalice and paten, and sign of peace. — Diocese of Rochester, NY"
- "I slept after the prostration of the day, with a stringent and profound slumber which not even the nightmares that wrung me could avail to break."
- "Their faith can be seen in their mannerisms on the pitch – cupping hands in silent pre-kick-off prayer or prostration after hitting the back of the net."
Etymology
From Middle English prostracioun, prostracyon, from Middle French prostration and its etymon Latin prōstrātiō, from prōstrātus, past participle of prōsternō. By surface analysis, prostrate + -ion.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: prostracioun,prostracyon, prostration, prōstrātiō