excommunication
UK[ˌɛkskəˌmjuːnɪˈkeɪʃən]US[ˌɛkskəˌmjuːnɪˈkeɪʃən]
n
The formal act of excluding someone from participation in the sacraments and services of the Christian Church.
n
The state of being excluded from membership or participation in any group or association.
Morpheme Breakdown
ex
commun
ication
ex
out of, from, thoroughly
commun
common, public, shared by all
ication
Etymology
The word 'excommunication' has a direct lineage from Church Latin. It is built upon the verb 'excommunicare', which itself combines the intensive prefix 'ex-' (out, away) with 'communicare' (to share, to make common). The core concept is the act of cutting someone off from the 'communis'—the common body of the faithful and its shared rites. Over centuries, this specific ecclesiastical term broadened semantically. While retaining its primary religious meaning, it now also describes a severe, formal exclusion from any shared community or fellowship, logically extending the original idea of being cast out from the common group.
Analysis
Structure: ex + commun + ication
ex: Latin origin, meaning "out of, from, thoroughly". In this word, it functions as a prefix indicating removal or exclusion.
commun: Latin origin, from 'communis' meaning "common, public, shared by all". It functions as the core root relating to community or commonality.
ication: Latin origin, from the suffix '-ficatio' (making, causing). It functions as a noun-forming suffix indicating the act or process of making or causing.
Examples
The bishop threatened the heretic with excommunication if he did not recant his views.
His actions were so egregious that they resulted in his excommunication from the club.
In the medieval period, excommunication was a powerful social and political weapon.