excommunicative

excommunicative

The priest issued an excommunicative decree against the heretic.

Definition

excommunicative (adjective): Relating to or having the nature of excommunication, particularly the formal act of excluding someone from membership in a religious community, especially in the Christian Church.

Usage Examples
  • (A formal statement that excludes a group from the church.)
  • (A manner or attitude expressing rejection or exclusion from a religious community.)
Advanced Usage
  • "excommunicative language": Words or speech that imply or enact a formal rejection.

    • The priest's excommunicative language left no room for reconciliation. (The priest's words formally excluded someone from the church.)
  • "excommunicative act": A formal action that results in excommunication.

    • The council's excommunicative act was met with widespread protest. (The council's decision to excommunicate someone was controversial.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Excommunicate (verb): To officially exclude someone from participation in the sacraments and services of the Christian Church.

    • The church decided to excommunicate the rebellious leader. (To formally expel from church membership.)
  • Excommunication (noun): The act or state of being excommunicated.

    • Excommunication was a severe punishment in medieval times. (The formal exclusion from church membership.)
  • Excommunicatory (adjective): A less common variant of "excommunicative", meaning serving to excommunicate.

    • The excommunicatory document was read aloud in the cathedral. (A document that enacts excommunication.)
Synonyms
  • Censuring: Expressing severe disapproval, often in an official capacity.
  • Anathema: A formal curse or condemnation by ecclesiastical authority.
  • Banning: Officially prohibiting or excluding someone from a group.
Related Idioms
  • To cast out: To forcibly exclude or reject someone, often from a community.

    • The church cast out the dissenter, an excommunicative action. (The church formally expelled the dissenter.)
  • To cut off: To sever all ties or communication, especially in a religious sense.

    • Being excommunicative meant he was cut off from the sacraments. (He was completely separated from church rituals.)