noun · 3 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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/ɪˌmæn.səˈpeɪ.ʃən/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -eɪʃən
CMU ARPABET:IH0 M AE2 N S AH0 P EY1 SH AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The act of setting free from the power of another, as from slavery, subjection, dependence, or controlling influence.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The state of being thus set free; liberation (used, for example, of slaves from bondage, of a person from prejudices, of the mind from superstition, of a nation from tyranny or subjugation).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
Examples
US President Abraham Lincoln was called the Great Emancipator after issuing the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
freeing someone from the control of another; especially a parent's relinquishing authority and control over a minor child
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: liberation, release, freeing
History
Etymology
1630, from French émancipation, from Latin ēmancipātiō. In the US, with reference to anti-slavery, abolitionism, first used in 1785 by Charles Godfrey Leland. In Britain, with reference to easing of restrictions on Catholics, in 19th century.
Across languages
Translations
51 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Albanian:
emancipim
— act of setting free from the power of another
Belarusian:
эмансіпа́цыя
(emansipácyja)
— act of setting free from the power of another
Belarusian:
вызвале́нне
(vyzvaljénnje)
— act of setting free from the power of another
Bulgarian:
еманципа́ция
(emancipácija)
— act of setting free from the power of another
Catalan:
emancipació
— act of setting free from the power of another
Chinese Mandarin:
解放
(jiěfàng)
— act of setting free from the power of another
Czech:
osvobození
— act of setting free from the power of another
Czech:
emancipace
— act of setting free from the power of another
Danish:
frigørelse
— act of setting free from the power of another
Danish:
frigørelser
— act of setting free from the power of another
Dutch:
ontvoogding
— act of setting free from the power of another
Dutch:
emancipatie
— act of setting free from the power of another
Esperanto:
emancipiĝo
— act of setting free from the power of another
Finnish:
vapauttaminen
— act of setting free from the power of another
Finnish:
vapautus
— act of setting free from the power of another
French:
émancipation
— act of setting free from the power of another
Galician:
emancipación
— act of setting free from the power of another
Georgian:
ემანსიპაცია
(emansiṗacia)
— act of setting free from the power of another
Georgian:
განთავისუფლება
(gantavisupleba)
— act of setting free from the power of another
German:
Emanzipation
— act of setting free from the power of another
German:
Freilassung
— act of setting free from the power of another
Greek:
χειραφέτηση
(cheirafétisi)
— act of setting free from the power of another
Hebrew:
אמנציפציה
(emantsipátsya)
— act of setting free from the power of another
Hungarian:
felszabadítás
— act of setting free from the power of another
Hungarian:
emancipáció
— act of setting free from the power of another
Irish:
fuascailt
— act of setting free from the power of another
Japanese:
解放
(kaihō)
— act of setting free from the power of another
Kazakh:
эмансипация
(émansipasiä)
— act of setting free from the power of another
Khmer:
ការអោយរួចជាអ្នកជា
(kaa aoy ruəch jie neak jie)
— act of setting free from the power of another
Central Kurdish:
ڕزگاری
(rizgarî)
— act of setting free from the power of another
Latvian:
emancipācija
— act of setting free from the power of another
Latvian:
atbrīvošana
— act of setting free from the power of another
Macedonian:
ослободување
(osloboduvanje)
— act of setting free from the power of another
Macedonian:
еманципација
(emancipacija)
— act of setting free from the power of another
Polish:
emancypacja
— act of setting free from the power of another
Polish:
wyzwolenie
— act of setting free from the power of another
Portuguese:
emancipação
— act of setting free from the power of another
Romanian:
emancipare
— act of setting free from the power of another
Russian:
эмансипа́ция
(emansipácija)
— act of setting free from the power of another
Russian:
освобожде́ние
(osvoboždénije)
— act of setting free from the power of another
Sanskrit:
मोक्ष
(mokṣa)
— act of setting free from the power of another
Soninke:
maxawasande
— act of setting free from the power of another
Spanish:
emancipación
— act of setting free from the power of another
Spanish:
manumisión
— act of setting free from the power of another
Sranan Tongo:
manspasi
— act of setting free from the power of another
Swedish:
frigörelse
— act of setting free from the power of another
Swedish:
emancipation
— act of setting free from the power of another
Ukrainian:
емансипа́ція
(emansypácija)
— act of setting free from the power of another
Ukrainian:
зві́льнення
(zvílʹnennja)
— act of setting free from the power of another
Welsh:
rhyddfreiniad
— act of setting free from the power of another
Yiddish:
עמאַנציפּאַציע
(emantsipatsye)
— act of setting free from the power of another
