exorcise

See also: exorcisé

English

Alternative forms

• exorcize

Etymology

From Middle English exorcisen, exorzisen, from Medieval Latin exorcizō, from Ancient Greek ἐξορκίζω (exorkízō, “to banish an evil spirit; bind by oath”), from ἐξ (ex) + ὅρκος (hórkos). Compare Old French exorciser.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈɛk.sɔː.saɪz/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈɛk.sɔɹˌsaɪz/, /ˈɛk.sɚˌsaɪz/

Verb

exorcise (third-person singular simple present exorcises, present participle exorcising, simple past and past participle exorcised)

1. (transitive) To drive out (an evil spirit) from a person, place or thing, especially by an incantation or prayer.
2. (transitive) To rid (a person, place or thing) of an evil spirit.

Usage notes

Unlike most verbs using the -ise/-ize suffix, exorcise is more commonly spelled with -s- even in American English.

Derived terms

• exorcism
• exorcist

Translations

To drive out an evil spirit from a person, place or thing, especially by an incantation or prayer

• Catalan: exorcitzar (ca)
• Dutch: verdrijven (nl), uitbannen (nl)
• Esperanto: ekzorci
• French: exorciser (fr)
• German: exorzieren (de), austreiben (de)
• Greek: εξορκίζω (el) (exorkízo)

  Ancient: ἐξορκίζω (exorkízō)

• Ido: exorcisar (io)
• Italian: esorcizzare (it)
• Latin: adiuro
• Luxembourgish: exorzéieren
• Maori: peiwairua
• Norman: d'senchorchéler
• Portuguese: exorcizar (pt)
• Russian: изгонять (ru) (izgonjatʹ) (бесов)
• Spanish: exorcizar (es)
• Ukrainian: виганя́ти impf (vyhanjáty) (нечисту силу), ви́гнати pf (výhnaty)
• Yiddish: באַשווערן‎ (bashvern), משביע זײַן‎ (mashbiye zayn), אַרויסטרײַבן‎ (aroystraybn)

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛɡ.zɔʁ.siz/

Verb

exorcise

1. inflection of exorciser:
   1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
   2. second-person singular imperative