Definition of libation in English:
1A drink poured out as an offering to a deity.
- Possibly these cups were used in the performance of cult, such as feasting by the worshippers and offering of libations to the deities.
- When one pagan group was ordered to dismantle a totem pole over which libations were poured, they simply placed a bust of Lenin on top and continued as before.
- All libations denote a sacrifice to the deity, but the one in the meal-context denotes a sharing with the god as all partake of the same drinking of wine.
liquid offering, offering, tribute, oblation
1.1The pouring out of a drink as an offering to a deity: gin was poured in libation
More example sentences
- Other participants perform libation using Scotch or other similar liquor by pouring from a ram's horn.
- Wine and beer were frequently offered, among many other foods and drinks, to deities as part of the cult, and the practice of libation was widespread in temple ritual.
- When we refer to ‘they made a libation of water’, a libation is simply pouring a drink offering.
1.2 humorous A drink: they steadily worked their way through free food and the occasional libation
More example sentences
- Conveniently, brother John Paul's favourite football team are sponsored by his favourite libation.
- Anyone remotely familiar with Germany knows that beer, wine, and other libations, such as Most and Korn, play a significant role in its culture and society.
- Please allow us to suggest some crowd-pleasing libations based on your menu selections as well as budget and palate preferences.
Late Middle English: from Latin libatio(n-), from libare 'pour as an offering'.
Words that rhyme with libationablation, aeration, agnation, Alsatian, Amerasian, Asian, aviation, cetacean, citation, conation, creation, Croatian, counterdemonstration, counterproliferation, crustacean, curation, Dalmatian, delation, dilation, donation, duration, elation, fixation, Galatian, geolocation, glocalization, gyration, Haitian, halation, Horatian, ideation, illation, lavation, legation, location, lunation, mutation, natation, nation, negation, notation, nutation, oblation, oration, ovation, potation, relation, rogation, rotation, Sarmatian, sedation, Serbo-Croatian, station, staycation, taxation, Thracian, vacation, vexation, vocation, zonation
What do you find interesting about this word or phrase?
Comments that don't adhere to our Community Guidelines may be moderated or removed.