excommunicate
UK[ˌɛkskəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt]US[ˌɛkskəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt]
v
To officially exclude someone from participation in the sacraments and services of the Christian Church.
v
To formally exclude someone from a group or society.
Morpheme Breakdown
ex
commun
icate
ex
out
commun
common, shared
icate
verb suffix
Etymology
The word 'excommunicate' has a direct and logical construction from Latin. It originates from the Late Latin verb 'excommunicare', which itself is built from the prefix 'ex-' (out) and 'communicare' (to share, to make common). The core concept is to "put someone out of the community" or to "deprive them of shared fellowship and rites". This literal meaning of exclusion from the shared body of the church has persisted into modern English, where it retains its primary religious sense while also being used metaphorically for severe social ostracism. The semantic journey is transparent: from the ancient idea of a common community to the formal act of expulsion from it.
Analysis
Structure: ex (out) + commun (common, shared) + icate (verb suffix)
- ex: Latin origin, meaning "out of, from, thoroughly". Acts as a prefix indicating removal or exclusion.
- commun: Latin origin, from 'communis' meaning "common, public, shared by all or many". Acts as the core root.
- icate: Latin-derived suffix '-ic' (forming adjectives) + '-ate' (forming verbs). Acts as a verb-forming suffix.
Examples
The bishop threatened to excommunicate any member who persisted in heresy.
In the digital age, being blocked by an entire online community can feel like a form of excommunication.
The act to excommunicate the ruler was a drastic measure taken by the religious council.