exorcism

[ek-sawr-siz-uh m, -ser-] /ˈɛk sɔrˌsɪz əm, -sər-/
noun
1.
the act or process of exorcising.
2.
the ceremony or the formula used in exorcising:
An elaborate exorcism was pronounced over the sick man.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English exorcisme (< Old French) < Medieval Latin < Greek exorkismós administration of an oath. See exorcise, -ism
Related forms
exorcismal
[ek-sawr-siz-muh l, ‐ser] /ˌɛk sɔrˈsɪz məl, ‐sər/ (Show IPA), exorcisory
[ek-sawr-sahy-zuh-ree, ‐ser] /ˈɛk sɔrˈsaɪ zə ri, ‐sər/ (Show IPA), exorcistical, exorcistic, adjective
Examples from the web for exorcism
  • Strange noises float from the church: an exorcism, apparently.
  • He mentions exorcism as a necessary ceremony at baptism.
  • There is probably no hangover that comes anywhere close to the hangover from an exorcism.
  • He writes about people who haunt him, and his stories can be read as attempts at exorcism.
  • Offerings so far include movies where you attempt to dodge a bullet or, bizarrely, perform an exorcism.
  • He can be in the middle of an intense exorcism and can humorously switch gears to take a cell-phone call.
  • Many specify incantations and exorcism of the kind that would require the help or tuition of a specialist intermediary.
  • Shamans or other local authority figures publicly beat and physically abused alleged witches as part of an exorcism ceremony.
  • The remedy for the malady is the exorcism of offending averments.
  • exorcism has been a popular subject in fiction, especially horror.
Word Origin and History for exorcism
n.

early 15c., "a calling up or driving out of evil spirits," from Late Latin exorcismus, from Greek exorkismos, from exorkizein "exorcize, bind by oath," from ex "out of" (see ex-) + horkizein "cause to swear," from horkos "oath." Earlier in the same sense was exorcization (late 14c.).