pilgrimage
UK[ˈpɪlɡrɪmɪdʒ]US[ˈpɪlɡrɪmɪdʒ]
n
A journey to a holy place for religious reasons.
n
A journey to a place of special historical interest or personal significance.
Morpheme Breakdown
pilgrim
age
pilgrim
age
Etymology
The word 'pilgrimage' originates from the Latin term 'peregrinus', meaning 'foreigner' or 'traveler'. This evolved into the Old French 'pelegrin', which entered Middle English as 'pilegrim', specifically denoting a person journeying to a sacred site. The suffix '-age', derived from Latin '-aticum' via Old French, was appended to signify the action, condition, or result associated with being a pilgrim. Thus, the literal construction 'pilgrim + age' narrates the story of a traveler's sacred journey, evolving from a general term for a foreigner to the specific, often spiritual, act of traveling to a venerated destination.
Analysis
Structure: pilgrim + age
- pilgrim (Latin, via Old French): A traveler, especially one on a religious journey. From Latin 'peregrinus' meaning 'foreigner, traveler'.
- age (Latin, via Old French): A suffix forming nouns indicating a state, condition, or action. From Latin '-aticum' denoting a function or state.
Examples
Many Muslims save for years to make the pilgrimage to Mecca.
Fans made a pilgrimage to the stadium where the legendary concert was held.
Her trip to her grandmother's ancestral village felt like a personal pilgrimage.