excommunicated
UK[ˌɛkskəˈmjuːnɪkeɪtɪd]US[ˌɛkskəˈmjuːnɪkeɪtɪd]
verb (past tense, past participle)
To officially exclude someone from participation in the sacraments and services of the Christian Church.
verb (past tense, past participle)
To formally exclude someone from a group or community.
Morpheme Breakdown
ex
communicat
ed
ex
out
communicat
share, make common
ed
past tense suffix
Etymology
The word originates from the Late Latin 'excommunicatus', the past participle of 'excommunicare', meaning "to put out of the community." This Latin term is a direct compound of the prefix 'ex-' ("out") and the verb 'communicare' ("to share, to make common"). The core logic is one of separation from a shared state: to be excommunicated is to be cast out from the common fellowship, privileges, and sacraments of the Church community. The term entered English in the 15th century, retaining this severe sense of formal exclusion from a communal body, a meaning that has since extended metaphorically to other types of social ostracism.
Analysis
Structure: ex (out) + communicat (share, make common) + ed (past tense suffix)
- ex: A Latin prefix meaning "out of, from, thoroughly."
- communicat: From the Latin verb 'communicare', meaning "to share, impart, make common," itself derived from 'communis' (common).
- ed: An English suffix used to form the past tense and past participle of regular verbs.
Examples
The bishop excommunicated the heretic for his public denials of core doctrine.
After the scandal, he felt excommunicated from his former circle of friends.
The decree excommunicated anyone who supported the rival claimant to the throne.