ablution

IPA/əˈbluː.ʃən/
KK[əblˈuʃən]IPA/əˈbluː.ʃən/

ablution — noun

1. careful washing of yourself, your hands, or sacred things, often before prayer o

1.nounC2
Definition

careful washing of yourself, your hands, or sacred things, often before prayer or another religious ceremony

Example

Before dawn prayer, the group performed ablution at the fountain.

perform ablution before prayer

The priest's ablution of his hands began the ceremony.

ablution of the hands

Common collocations
  • perform ablution
  • ablution before prayer
  • ablution of the hands
  • ritual ablution
Synonyms
  • ritual washing

    a neutral phrase for ceremonial cleaning before worship

  • purification

    broader and often more spiritual or symbolic

  • cleansing

    can describe physical or figurative cleaning

Grammar Patterns

perform ablution

ablution before prayer

ablution of the hands

Usage Note

Common in religious, historical, and very formal writing. For ordinary washing in daily life, speakers usually say wash or washing instead.

2. your routine of washing your face, hands, and body, especially in the morning

2.nounC2
Definition

your routine of washing your face, hands, and body, especially in the morning

Example

After the long bus ride, Caio went upstairs for evening ablutions.

go for ablutions

The hostel guests lined up early to do their ablutions.

do their ablutions

Common collocations
  • do your ablutions
  • morning ablutions
  • evening ablutions
  • ablution block
Synonyms
  • washing

    the plain everyday word for cleaning yourself

  • wash-up

    more informal, especially in British English

Grammar Patterns

do your ablutions

morning ablutions

go for your ablutions

Usage Note

Usually plural in real use, especially in the phrase do your ablutions. It sounds formal or slightly humorous; in everyday speech people more often say wash or washing up.

Common Mistakes

I did an ablution before bed.
I did my ablutions before bed.
This routine sense is usually plural in natural English.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Ablution' is formal and often carries a religious or ceremonial idea. 'Washing' is the everyday word for cleaning your body or hands. 'Purification' is broader and can describe spiritual or symbolic cleansing even when no actual water is used.

ablution ↗washing ↗purification ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • perform ablution
  • do your ablutions
  • morning ablutions

Prepositions

  • for ablution
  • before prayer

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Ablution comes from Latin ablutio, from abluere, meaning 'wash away'. It entered English as a formal word for washing, especially in religious or ceremonial settings.

First known use

1533

1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1