veneration

[ven-uh-rey-shuhn]

noun

1. the act of venerating.

2. the state of being venerated.

3. the feeling of a person who venerates; a feeling of awe, respect, etc.; reverence.

   They were filled with veneration for their priests.

   Antonyms: disrespect

4. an expression of this feeling.

   A memorial was erected in veneration of the dead of both world wars.

veneration

/ ˌvɛnəˈreɪʃən /

noun

1. a feeling or expression of awe or reverence

2. the act of venerating or the state of being venerated

Other Word Forms

• venerational adjective
• venerativeness noun
• venerative adjective
• veneratively adverb
• unvenerative adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of veneration¹

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin venerātiōn- (stem of venerātiō ), equivalent to venerāt ( us ) ( venerate ) + -iōn- -ion

Synonym Study

See respect.

Example Sentences

The bone fragments have since been distributed to countries like Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar, where they remain objects of veneration.

From BBC

Viewers want stars to regurgitate their notable dialogue or react in shock or veneration for the viral sounds, but that’s not what they’re being paid to do.

From Salon

"Today we can't imagine the veneration of Hindu, Jain or Buddhist divine spirits or deities without a human form, can we? Which is what makes this transition so interesting," says Sushma Jansari, the exhibition's curator.

From BBC

And although the streaming boom has had its drawbacks, it has also unearthed and popularized worthy cult classics, giving them a new life and the long-deserved veneration they deserve.

From Salon

The walls of these rooms accomplish a kind of muting of her aura, a place where veneration feels austere or regimented by bureaucracy.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• adoration 
• reverence