Definition

1. Noun:
   • The ritual washing of a priest's hands or of sacred vessels: A ceremonial act of cleansing, often with water, performed as part of religious or spiritual practice.
   • The act of washing oneself, especially as a ritual: The action of washing one's own body, typically with a focus on purification or preparation.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The priest performed his ablutions before the ceremony.
  • Sacred ablutions are an important part of the ritual.
  • His morning ablutions included washing his face and hands.

Advanced Usage

• "To perform one's ablutions": A formal or sometimes humorous way to refer to the act of washing oneself, especially in the morning.
  • He disappeared into the bathroom to perform his ablutions.

Variants and Related Words

• Ablutionary (adj): Pertaining to ablution; used for washing.
  • The temple had special ablutionary facilities.

Synonyms

• Ritual washing: Ceremonial cleansing.
• Purification: The act of making clean or pure, especially in a ritual sense.
• Lavation: (Formal) The act or process of washing.

Related Phrases

• Ablution facilities: A term often used in formal or public contexts (e.g., at a campsite or religious site) to refer to bathrooms or washing areas.
  • The festival grounds provided basic ablution facilities for attendees.

Related Idioms

• One's daily ablutions: A set phrase referring to one's routine of washing and grooming.
  • After completing his daily ablutions, he went downstairs for breakfast.

Noun

1. the ritual washing of a priest's hands or of sacred vessels