noun · 4 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
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK, US:/ˌɪm.pɹɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/
UK, US:/ˌɪm.pɹəˈkeɪ.ʃən/
rhymes with -eɪʃən
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone; a prayer that a curse or calamity may befall 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
2
noun
Meaning 2
A curse.
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
the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil (and usually serves as an insult)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he suffered the imprecations of the mob
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: malediction
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: execration, condemnation, curse
4
noun
Meaning 4
a slanderous accusation
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: accusation, accusal
History
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin imprecātiō (“calling down of curses”), from imprecor (“call down, invoke”).
Across languages
Translations
54 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Azerbaijani:
qarğış
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Bulgarian:
прклятие
(prkljatie)
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Czech:
proklínání
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Czech:
prokletí
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Danish:
forbandelse
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Dutch:
verwensing
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Finnish:
kirous
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
French:
exécrer
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
French:
maudire
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
French:
lancer des imprécations contre
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
German:
Verwünschung
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Italian:
imprecazione
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Latin:
imprecātiō
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Latin:
exsecrātiō
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Occitan:
imprecacion
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Occitan:
malediccion
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Polish:
złorzeczenie
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Polish:
pomstowanie
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Romanian:
imprecație
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Romanian:
blestem
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Russian:
прокля́тие
(prokljátije)
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Spanish:
imprecación
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Swedish:
förbannelse
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Tocharian B:
śāp
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Turkish:
küfretme
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Turkish:
küfür etme
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Turkish:
sövme
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Ukrainian:
проклін
(proklin)
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
Ukrainian:
прокльон
(proklʹon)
— act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone
