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benediction

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: bénédiction

English

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Etymology

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From Middle English benediccion, from Ecclesiastical Latin benedictio, benedictionis, from benedictus (“blessed; well spoken of”). Doublet of benison.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

benediction (countable and uncountable, plural benedictions)

  1. A short invocation for help, blessing and guidance from God, said on behalf of another person or persons (sometimes at the end of a church worship service).
    Synonym: blessing
    to pronounce / give / say the benediction
    the nuptial benediction
    a parting benediction
    • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vii]:
      O, look upon me, sir,
      And hold your hands in benediction o’er me.
    • 1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 1281-1282:
      So saying, he [the angel] arose; whom Adam thus
      Follow’d with benediction.
    • 1748, [Samuel Richardson], chapter 50, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume IV, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson;  […], →OCLC, page 290:
      My pen (its last scrawl a benediction on my beloved) dropt from my fingers;
    • 1876, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], chapter XXXIV, in Daniel Deronda, volume II, Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, book IV (Gwendolen Gets Her Choice), page 354:
      Cohen kept on his own hat, and took no notice of the visitor, but stood still while the two children went up to him and clasped his knees: then he laid his hands on each in turn and uttered his Hebrew benediction; whereupon the wife, who had lately taken baby from the cradle, brought it up to her husband and held it under his outstretched hands, to be blessed in its sleep.
    • 1961, V. S. Naipaul, A House for Mr Biswas‎[1], Penguin, published 1992, Part 2, Chapter 6, p. 537:
      Long brahminical hairs sprouted out of his ears, and he drew further attention to himself by closing his eyes, neatly shaking away tears, putting a hand on Owad’s head and speaking a Hindi benediction.
  2. In the Anglican church, the ceremony used to institute an abbot, analogous to the consecration of a bishop.
    • 1726, John Ayliffe, “Of Abbots, Priors, Abbies, Priories, &c.”, in Parergon juris canonici anglicani: or, A commentary, by way of supplement to the canons and constitutions of the Church of England‎[2], London: for the author, page 13:
      What Consecration is to a Bishop, that Benediction is to an Abbot; but in a different way: For a Bishop is not properly such till Consecration; but an Abbot being elected and confirm’d, is properly such before Benediction.
  3. A Roman Catholic rite by which bells, banners, candles, etc., are blessed with holy water and formally dedicated to God.
  4. Help, good fortune or reward from God or another supernatural source.
    Synonyms: blessing, grace

Antonyms

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Translations

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