Exorcise
/ˈɛk.sɔːr.saɪz/noun
To drive out an evil spirit from a person or place.
Did you know?The practice of exorcism dates back to ancient Mesopotamia, where priests would perform rituals to dispel malevolent spirits believed to cause illness.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*er-
“To move, set in motion or to stir up.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἐξορκισμός (exorkismos)
“A swearing out or incantation to drive away evil.”
Late Latin
Latin
exorcizare
“To expel an evil spirit, literally 'to swear out'.”
Middle English
Middle English
exorcisen
“To expel demons through a formal ritual.”
Modern English
English
exorcise
“To remove evil spirits through religious rites.”