pilgrimage

1 of 2

noun

pil·​grim·​age ˈpil-grə-mij How to pronounce pilgrimage (audio)
1
: a journey of a pilgrim
especially : one to a shrine or a sacred place
2
: the course of life on earth

pilgrimage

2 of 2

verb

pilgrimaged; pilgrimaging

intransitive verb

: to go on a pilgrimage

Examples of pilgrimage in a Sentence

Noun He made a pilgrimage to Mecca. The family went on a pilgrimage to historical battlefields. The tradition of pilgrimage is important in Islam. The poet's grave site has become a place of pilgrimage. Verb tourists pilgrimaging to all of the traditional destinations across Europe
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Your literary pilgrimage kicks off in Bath, a city almost synonymous with Austen herself. Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025 The butterflies’ arduous pilgrimage is one of the planet’s great animal migrations. Chloe Berge, AFAR Media, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
In fact, her pilgrimage back to Mexico after completing her studies wasn’t merely a homecoming, but a calling to immerse herself in indigenous communities. Pooja Shah, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025 People pilgrimage here to sample the best of traditional rural Portuguese cuisine in a delightful countryside setting. Isabelle Kliger, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pilgrimage

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pilgrimage was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pilgrimage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pilgrimage. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

pilgrimage

noun
pil·​grim·​age
ˈpil-grə-mij
: a journey of a pilgrim
pilgrimage verb

More from Merriam-Webster on pilgrimage

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!