procession

1 of 2

noun

pro·​ces·​sion prə-ˈse-shən How to pronounce procession (audio)
1
a
: a group of individuals moving along in an orderly often ceremonial way
2
a
: continuous forward movement : progression
b
: emanation
the Holy Spirit's procession from the Father

procession

2 of 2

verb

processioned; processioning; processions

intransitive verb

archaic
: to go in procession

Examples of procession in a Sentence

Noun There was a procession of children carrying candles. The cars moved in procession to the cemetery.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
According to the Ukrainian Center for Defense Strategies, that attack scorched the refinery’s primary oil procession unit. David Axe, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025 Looking ahead, Ash Wednesday on March 5 marks the beginning of Lent, leading to Holy Week and Easter on April 20, a period traditionally marked by outdoor processions and prayer services. David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025 By the end of July, the Kansas banking regulator was examining Heartland’s accounts, and a procession of state and federal agencies descended on Elkhart. David Yaffe-Bellany, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025 There was not the same quality of opposition, but given what was at stake, the riotous procession of four uninterrupted goals basked the ground in belief. Beren Cross, The Athletic, 16 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for procession

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English processioun, from Anglo-French processiun, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin procession-, processio religious procession, from Latin, act of proceeding, from procedere

First Known Use

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1691, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of procession was in the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Procession.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/procession. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

procession

noun
pro·​ces·​sion
prə-ˈsesh-ən
1
: continuous forward movement : progression
2
: a group of individuals moving along in an orderly often ceremonial way
a funeral procession

More from Merriam-Webster on procession

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