rite of passage
noun
plural rites of passage
: a ritual, event, or experience that marks or constitutes a major milestone or change in a person's life
Rites of passage celebrate the social movement of individuals into and out of groups or into or out of statuses of critical importance to the individual and to the community. Reproduction, the achievement of manhood and womanhood, marriage, and death are the principal worldwide occasions for rites of passage.—
Marvin Harris
Marvin HarrisFor them the two years of missionary work, with the rigorous bootcamp-style training preceding it, is a rite of passage between graduation and marriage, adolescence and adult life.—Malise Ruthven
Malise RuthvenToday, when each year American society becomes more complex, a veritable tapestry of nationalities, the strongest of our common threads may well be the rites of passage all immigrants face.—Harold Holzer
Harold HolzerThe author, grandson of the poet Allen Tate, dropped out of Sewanee University after going through the by-now familiar 1960's rite of passage of drugs, sex, and antiwar demonstrations …—Caroline Seebohm
compare initiation rite
Caroline SeebohmExamples of rite of passage in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
They are also deeply intertwined with identity, serving as a universal rite of passage for modern youth.
—Diana Spehar, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
To step onto a red carpet, enveloped in her sculptural, statuesque folds of fabric has become a rite of passage for young stars scaling new heights–the dress functioning as a symbolic on-ramp for the beloved ingénue turned bombshell.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 2 Dec. 2024
Male circumcision is a rite of passage in some religions, such as Islam and Judaism, but others choose circumcision for possible health benefits.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
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Receiving a KitchenAid stand mixer is a rite of passage for cooks, bakers, homeowners, and anyone with a kitchen to fill and a drive to whip up something delicious.
—Melissa Locker, TIME, 26 Nov. 2024
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Diana Spehar, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
To step onto a red carpet, enveloped in her sculptural, statuesque folds of fabric has become a rite of passage for young stars scaling new heights–the dress functioning as a symbolic on-ramp for the beloved ingénue turned bombshell.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 2 Dec. 2024
Male circumcision is a rite of passage in some religions, such as Islam and Judaism, but others choose circumcision for possible health benefits.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
Buy now: Monthly Food Subscription on Goldbelly KitchenAid Mixer
Receiving a KitchenAid stand mixer is a rite of passage for cooks, bakers, homeowners, and anyone with a kitchen to fill and a drive to whip up something delicious.
—Melissa Locker, TIME, 26 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rite of passage
Dictionary Entries Near rite of passage
Cite this Entry
“Rite of passage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rite%20of%20passage. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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