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libation

 - 3 dictionary results

li⋅ba⋅tion

  [lahy-bey-shuhn]
Use libation in a Sentence
–noun
1. a pouring out of wine or other liquid in honor of a deity.
2. the liquid poured out.
3. 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
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To libation
li·ba·tion   (lī-bā'shən)   
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.

  2. 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.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

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.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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