noun · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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UK:/dɪsˌpɛnˈseɪʃən/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -eɪʃən
CMU ARPABET:D IH2 S P AH0 N S EY1 SH AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The act of dispensing or dealing out; distribution
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
a fair dispensation of money
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The distribution of good and evil by God to man.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
That which is dispensed, dealt out, or given; that which is bestowed on someone
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A system of principles, promises, and rules ordained and administered; scheme; economy
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
the Patriarchal, Mosaic, and Christian dispensations
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
The relaxation of a law in a particular case; permission to do something forbidden, or to omit doing something enjoined; exemption.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
The relaxation of a law in a particular case; permission to do something forbidden, or to omit doing something enjoined; exemption.
In the Roman Catholic Church, an exemption from some ecclesiastical law, or from an obligation to God which a person has incurred of his own free will (oaths, vows, etc.).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: Catholicism, Christianity
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
the act of dispensing (giving out in portions)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: distribution
8
noun
Meaning 8
an exemption from some rule or obligation
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: license, permission, permit
Narrower terms: variance
9
noun
Meaning 9
a share that has been dispensed or distributed
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: share, portion, part, percentage
History
Etymology
From Old French despensacion, from Latin dispensātiō. By surface analysis, dispens(e) + -ation.
Across languages
Translations
54 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
раздаване
(razdavane)
— act of dispensing
Bulgarian:
разпределяне
(razpredeljane)
— act of dispensing
Danish:
uddeling
— act of dispensing
Danish:
fordeling
— act of dispensing
Dutch:
uitdeling
— act of dispensing
Dutch:
bedeling
— act of dispensing
Finnish:
jakaminen
— act of dispensing
Finnish:
jakelu
— act of dispensing
French:
dérogation
— act of dispensing
French:
dispense
— act of dispensing
Hungarian:
elosztás
— act of dispensing
Hungarian:
kiosztás
— act of dispensing
Hungarian:
szétosztás
— act of dispensing
Italian:
deroga
— act of dispensing
Polish:
dyspensa
— act of dispensing
Polish:
dyspensacja
— act of dispensing
Russian:
распределение
(raspredelenije)
— act of dispensing
Polish:
dyspensa
— that which is dispensed
Russian:
разрешение
(razrešenije)
— that which is dispensed
Danish:
administration
— system of principles, promises, and rules ordained and administered
Danish:
system
— system of principles, promises, and rules ordained and administered
Danish:
forvaltning
— system of principles, promises, and rules ordained and administered
German:
Gegebenheiten
— system of principles, promises, and rules ordained and administered
Hungarian:
elrendelés
— system of principles, promises, and rules ordained and administered
Hungarian:
rendelkezés
— system of principles, promises, and rules ordained and administered
Hungarian:
törvény
— system of principles, promises, and rules ordained and administered
Polish:
administracja
— system of principles, promises, and rules ordained and administered
Arabic:
تَحِلَّة
(taḥilla)
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Czech:
dispens
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Czech:
dispenz
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Czech:
dispense
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Czech:
dispenze
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Danish:
fritagelse
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Danish:
dispensation
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Dutch:
dispensatie
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Finnish:
erivapaus
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
French:
dispense
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
German:
Dispens
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Hungarian:
felmentés
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Hungarian:
engedmény
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Hungarian:
mentesség
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Hungarian:
engedély
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Hungarian:
hozzájárulás
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Icelandic:
undanþága
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Indonesian:
dispensasi
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Māori:
whakawāteatanga
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Norwegian Bokmål:
dispensasjon
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Norwegian Nynorsk:
dispensasjon
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Polish:
dyspensa
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Polish:
dyspensacja
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Slovak:
dišpenz
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Spanish:
dispensación
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Swedish:
dispens
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
Vietnamese:
phép chuẩn
— relaxation of a law in a particular case
