Libation - Definitions from Dictionary.com

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

li·ba·tion

Audio Help [lahy-bey-shuh

n] Pronunciation Key

–noun

1.	a pouring out of wine or other liquid in honor of a deity.

2.	the liquid poured out.

Often Facetious.

a.	an intoxicating beverage, as wine, esp. when drunk in ceremonial or celebrative situations.

b.	an act or instance of drinking such a beverage.

[Origin: 1350–1400; ME libacio(u)n < L lībātiōn- (s. of lībātiō) a drink offering, equiv. to lībāt(us) (ptp. of lībāre to pour; c. Gk leíbein) + -iōn- -ion

]

—Related forms

li·ba·tion·al, li·ba·tion·ar·y, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Libation

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

li·ba·tion Audio Help (lī-bā'shən) Pronunciation Key
n.

1. The pouring of a liquid offering as a religious ritual.
2. The liquid so poured.
3. A beverage, especially an intoxicating beverage.
4. The act of drinking an intoxicating beverage.
Informal
1. A beverage, especially an intoxicating beverage.
2. The act of drinking an intoxicating beverage.

[Middle English libacioun, from Latin lībātiō, lībātiōn-, from lībātus, past participle of lībāre, to pour out as an offering.]

li·ba'tion·ar'y (-shə-něr'ē) adj.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
libation

1382, "pouring out of wine in honor of a god," from L. libationem (nom. libatio) "a drink offering," from libare "pour out (an offering)," from PIE *(s)leib- "to pour, drop" (cf. Gk. leibein "to pour, make a libation"), an enlargement of base *lei- "to pour, to flow" (cf. Skt. riyati "to let run;" Gk. aleison "a wine vessel;" Lith. lieju "to pour," lytus "rain;" Hitt. lilai- "to let go;" Alb. lyse, lise "a stream;" Welsh lliant "a stream, a sea," llifo "to flow;" O.Ir. lie "a flood;" Bret. livad "inundation;" Gael. lighe "a flood, overflow;" Goth. leithu "fruit wine;" O.C.S. liti, lêju, Bulg. leja "I pour;" Czech liti, leji, O.Pol. lic' "to pour"). Transf. sense of "liquid poured out to be drunk" is from 1751.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

libation
noun
1.	(facetious) a serving of an alcoholic beverage
2.	a serving (of wine) poured out in honor of a deity
3.	the act of pouring a liquid offering (especially wine) as a religious ceremony

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Libation

Li*ba"tion\ (l[-i]*b[=a]"sh[u^]n), n. [L. libatio, fr. libare to take a little from anything, to taste, to pour out as an offering: cf. F. libation.] The act of pouring a liquid or liquor, usually wine, either on the ground or on a victim in sacrifice, in honor of some deity; also, the wine or liquid thus poured out. --Dryden.

A heathen sacrifice or libation to the earth. --Bacon.

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libation

libation was Word of the Day on July 30, 2000.

Dictionary.com Word of the Day

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