excommunicate

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. verb exclude from a church or a religious community
  2. verb oust or exclude from a group or membership by decree

Etymology

From Ecclesiastical Latin excommunicātus, perfect passive participle of excommunicō (“excommunicate”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). By surface analysis, ex- + communicate.

In classic literature

Synonyms

unchurch, curse

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