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Origin and history of propitiation

propitiation(n.)

late 14c., propiciacioun, "atonement, expiation," from Late Latin propitiationem (nominative propitiatio) "an atonement," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin propitiare "appease, propitiate," from propitius "favorable, gracious, kind, well-disposed." The current explanation of this (as of de Vaan) is that it represents *propre-tio-, from PIE *propro "on and on, ever further" (source also of Sanskrit pra-pra "on and on," Greek pro-pro "before, on and on"), from root *per- (1) "forward," hence "in front of, toward, near." It is thus related to Latin prope "near."

Earliest recorded form of the word in English is propitiatorium "the mercy seat, place of atonement" (c. 1200), translating Greek hilasterion. The meaning "that which propitiates or appeases, a propitiatory gift or offering" is from 1550s.

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to propitiation

propitiate(v.)

"appease and render favorable," 1580s, a back-formation from propitiation and in part from propitiate (adj.), from Latin propitiatus, past participle of propitiare "appease, propitiate." Related: Propitiated; propitiating; propitiatingly; propitiable (1550s).

propitiatory(adj.)

"having the power or intent to effect propitiation," 1550s, from Late Latin propitiatorius "atoning, reconciling," from propitiatus, past participle of propitiare "appease, propitiate" (see propitiation). Earlier in English as a noun, propiciatorie, c. 1300, "the mercy seat, lid or cover of the ark of the covenant," from Late Latin propitiatorium (translating Greek hilasterion in Bible); noun use of neuter singular of propitiatorius.

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propitious
mid-15c., propicious, "inclined to grant favor, disposed to pardon or forgive," from Anglo-French propicius, Old French propicius "gracious, favorable, useful" (12c., Modern French propice) and directly from Latin propitius "favorable, kind, gracious, well-disposed" (see propitia
expiation
"act of making satisfaction or reparation for an offense, atonement, reparation," early 15c., expiacioun, from Latin expiationem (nominative expiatio) "satisfaction, atonement," noun of action from past-participle stem of expiare "make amends for, atone for; purge by sacrifice, m
conciliation
1540s, "act of converting from jealousy or suspicion and gaining favor or good will," from French conciliation, from Latin conciliationem (nominative conciliatio) "a connection, union, bond," figuratively "a making friendly, gaining over," noun of action from past-participle stem
sacrifice
late 13c., "the offering of something (especially a life) to a deity as an act of propitiation, homage, etc.;" mid-14c.,...
appeasement
mid-15c., appesement, "pacification," from Old French apaisement "appeasement, calming," noun of action from apaisier "pacify, make peace, placate" (see appease). First recorded 1919 in the international political sense; it was not pejorative until the failure of British Prime Mi
redemption
mid-14c., redemcioun, "deliverance from sin," from Old French redemcion (12c.) and directly from Latin redemptionem (nominative redemptio) "a buying back or off, a releasing, a ransoming" (also "bribery"), noun of action from past-participle stem of redimere "to redeem, buy back,
salvation
c. 1200, savacioun, saluatiun, sauvacioun, etc., originally in the Christian sense, "the saving of the soul, deliverance from the power of sin and admission to eternal bliss," from Old French salvaciun and directly from Late Latin salvationem (nominative salvatio, a Church Latin
reparation
late 14c., reparacioun, "repair, act of mending" (a sense now rare or obsolete), also "amends, compensation, recompense, satisfaction for injury, what is done to repair a wrong," from Old French reparacion and directly from Late Latin reparationem (nominative reparatio) "act of r
Babel
capital of Babylon, now a ruin near Hillah in Iraq, late 14c., from Late Latin, from Hebrew Babhel (Genesis xi), from Akkadian bab-ilu "Gate of God" (from bab "gate" + ilu "god"). The name is a translation of Sumerian Ka-dingir. The meaning "a confused medley of sounds" (1520s) i
canteen
1744 (in a recollection from c. 1710), "store in a military camp," from French cantine "sutler's shop" (17c.), from Italian cantina "wine cellar, vault," diminutive of canto "a side, corner, angle." Thus it is perhaps another descendant of the many meanings that were attached to

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