exorcism

noun

ex·​or·​cism ˈek-ˌsȯr-ˌsi-zəm  -sər- 

1

: the act or practice of exorcising

2

: a spell or formula used in exorcising

exorcist

ˈek-ˌsȯr-ˌsist  -sər- 

-səst

noun

exorcistic

ˌek-ˌsȯr-ˈsi-stik  -sər- 

adjective

or exorcistical

ˌek-ˌsȯr-ˈsi-sti-kəl  -sər- 

Examples of exorcism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The exorcism of Latoya Ammons A bit of a surprise entry on the list is something that didn't actually happen this year, but interest around the supernatural story from 2014 exploded thanks to a new retelling. —Joe Mutascio, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Dec. 2024

Our first day on the trail (and our second and third) was an exorcism of sorts, a feverish purge. —Steven Potter, Outside Online, 19 Nov. 2024

The film contains one of the great gross-out scenes of all time, in which Adjani has a bloody, violent miscarriage in a Berlin subway station and slams her body around as if in the throes of an exorcism. —The New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2024

After years of attempts to rid her body of this presumptive evil, authorization to perform an exorcism was granted. —Declan Gallagher and Chris Bellamy, EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

exorcism

noun

ex·​or·​cism ˈek-ˌsȯr-ˌsiz-əm 

-sər-

: the act or practice of exorcising

exorcist

-ˌsist 

-səst

noun