Standard Lemma guide

expiatory

adj · 2 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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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of or pertaining to expiation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 18 January 1549, Hugh Latimer, Sermon of the Plough They would have us saved by a daily oblation propitiatory; by a sacrifice expiatory, or remissory.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective

Meaning 2

having power to atone for or offered by way of expiation or propitiation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • expiatory (or propitiatory) sacrifice

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: expiative, propitiatory

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Ecclesiastical Latin expiātōrius.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: изкупителен (izkupitelen) — of or pertaining to expiation
  • Catalan: expiatori — of or pertaining to expiation
  • Finnish: sovittava — of or pertaining to expiation
  • Finnish: sovitus- — of or pertaining to expiation
  • French: expiatoire — of or pertaining to expiation
  • Hungarian: vezeklő — of or pertaining to expiation
  • Hungarian: vezekléses — of or pertaining to expiation
  • Italian: espiatorio — of or pertaining to expiation
  • Polish: pokutniczy — of or pertaining to expiation
  • Russian: искупи́тельный (iskupítelʹnyj) — of or pertaining to expiation
  • Spanish: expiatorio — of or pertaining to expiation