excommunicate

[v. eks-kuh-myoo-ni-keyt; n., adj. eks-kuh-myoo-ni-kit, -keyt] /v. ˌɛks kəˈmyu nɪˌkeɪt; n., adj. ˌɛks kəˈmyu nɪ kɪt, -ˌkeɪt/
verb (used with object), excommunicated, excommunicating.
1.
to cut off from communion with a church or exclude from the sacraments of a church by ecclesiastical sentence.
2.
to exclude or expel from membership or participation in any group, association, etc.:
an advertiser excommunicated from a newspaper.
noun
3.
an excommunicated person.
adjective
4.
cut off from communion with a church; excommunicated.
Origin
1375-1425; late Middle English excommunicaten (v.) < Late Latin excommūnicātus literally, put out of the community (past participle of excommūnicāre), equivalent to ex- ex-1 + commūn(is) common, public + -ic- (by analogy with commūnicāre to communicate) + -ātus -ate1
Related forms
excommunicator, noun
unexcommunicated, adjective
Examples from the web for excommunicate
  • Don't hyphenate words that use ex-to mean out of: excommunicate.
British Dictionary definitions for excommunicate

excommunicate

verb (ˌɛkskəˈmjuːnɪˌkeɪt)
1.
(transitive) to sentence (a member of the Church) to exclusion from the communion of believers and from the privileges and public prayers of the Church
adjective (ˌɛkskəˈmjuːnɪkɪt; -ˌkeɪt)
2.
having incurred such a sentence
noun (ˌɛkskəˈmjuːnɪkɪt; -ˌkeɪt)
3.
an excommunicated person
Derived Forms
excommunicable, adjective
excommunication, noun
excommunicative, excommunicatory, adjective
excommunicator, noun
Word Origin
C15: from Late Latin excommūnicāre, literally: to exclude from the community, from Latin commūniscommon
Word Origin and History for excommunicate
v.

early 15c., from Late Latin excommunicatus, past participle of excommunicare (see excommunication). Related: Excommunicated; excommunicating.