Excommunicate
/ˌɛks.kəˈmjuː.nɪ.keɪt/noun
To formally exclude someone from membership in a religious community, especially the Christian Church.
Did you know?Excommunicate comes from Latin ecclesiastical language built on communis (“shared, common”), so the core idea is not just punishment but being pushed outside what is held in common.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
excommunicare
“to put out of communion; exclude from church fellowship”
Late Latin
Latin
excommunicatus
“excluded from the Christian community”
Old French
Old French
excommunier
“to excommunicate”
Middle English
English
excommunicat(e)
“to cut off from church membership”
Modern English
English
excommunicate
“to formally exclude from a religious body”