exorcism

1 of 2

noun (1)

ex·​or·​cism ˈek-ˌsȯr-ˌsi-zəm How to pronounce exorcism (audio) -sər- How to pronounce exorcism (audio)
Synonyms of exorcismnext
1
: the act or practice of exorcising
2
: a spell or formula used in exorcising
exorcist
ˈek-ˌsȯr-ˌsist How to pronounce exorcism (audio) -sər- How to pronounce exorcism (audio)
-səst
noun
exorcistic
ˌek-ˌsȯr-ˈsi-stik How to pronounce exorcism (audio) -sər- How to pronounce exorcism (audio)
adjective
or exorcistical
ˌek-ˌsȯr-ˈsi-sti-kəl How to pronounce exorcism (audio) -sər- How to pronounce exorcism (audio)

exorcist

2 of 2

noun (2)

ex·​or·​cist
-sə̇st
plural -s
1
: one who exorcises or conjures evil spirits
2
a
: a member of a minor order in the early Christian church
b
: the second highest office of the minor orders in the Roman Catholic Church ranking immediately below that of acolyte

Examples of exorcism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Mike Flanagan debuted his next era of exorcisms and ungodly evil at New York Comic Con. — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026 The songs are a type of emotional exorcism, an expression of primal emotion that could not be shared in another way, with the rhythm of the film always framing them as a type of catharsis. — Zachary Lee, IndieWire, 16 Sep. 2026 An online search showed no info on it being used in an exorcism. — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026 The Gators, though, should romp in a necessary exorcism of 2025’s demons. — Noah White, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for exorcism

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

Middle English exorciste, from Late Latin exorcista, from Greek exorkistēs, from exorkizein

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of exorcism was in the 14th century

Rhymes for exorcism

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Browse Nearby Words

exorciser
exorcism
exorcismal
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exorcism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exorcism. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

exorcism

noun
ex·​or·​cism ˈek-ˌsȯr-ˌsiz-əm How to pronounce exorcism (audio)
-sər-
: the act or practice of exorcising
exorcist
-ˌsist How to pronounce exorcism (audio)
-səst
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on exorcism

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