veneration
veneration Lexical Profile
veneration Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Great respect or reverence shown toward a person, tradition, or object, often inspired by age, wisdom, or moral character.
"The community held the retired professor in deep veneration for his decades of selfless mentorship."
The religious act of honoring a saint, ancestor, or sacred relic through devotion and ceremonial observance.
"Thousands of pilgrims gathered at the cathedral for the annual veneration of the saint's relics."
Word Nuance & Usage
In Christian theology, 'veneration' refers specifically to the honor and respect shown to saints and sacred objects, which is strictly distinguished from 'adoration' or 'worship' reserved solely for God.
• Rhymes for veneration
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 14th century from Old French 'veneracion' and directly from Latin 'venerationem' (reverence, respect), a noun of action from 'venerari' (to revere or worship), which shares a Proto-Indo-European root (*wen-) with the name of the Roman goddess Venus.