atonement

English

Etymology

Perhaps from atone + -ment as translation of Medieval Latin adūnāmentum[1]; however, the noun is found earlier than the verb (atone); and in this light, the proper etymology is at + onement.

Noun

atonement (countable and uncountable, plural atonements)

  1. Making amends to restore a damaged relationship; expiation.
    • Spectator
      When a man has been guilty of any vice, the best atonement he can make for it is, to warn others.
    • Potter
      The Phocians behaved with so much gallantry, that they were thought to have made a sufficient atonement for their former offense.
  2. (theology, often with capitalized initial) The reconciliation of God and mankind through the death of Jesus.
  3. (archaic) Reconciliation; restoration of friendly relations; concord.
    • Bible, Rom. v. 11
      by whom we have now received the atonement
    • Shakespeare
      He desires to make atonement
      Betwixt the Duke of Gloucester and your brothers.

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.

See also

References

  1. “Atonement”, in Dictionary.com, 2017-01-02
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