exorcize

Variant of exorcise

exorcise definition

ex·or·cise or exorcize ex′·or·cize′ (eks′ôr sīz′)

transitive verb exorcised -·cised′ or exorcized -·cized′, exorcising -·cis′·ing or exorcizing -·ciz′·ing

  1. to drive (an evil spirit or spirits) out or away by ritual prayers, incantations, etc.
  2. Rare to adjure (such a spirit or spirits)
  3. to free from such a spirit or spirits

Etymology: ME exorcisen < LL(Ec) exorcizare < Gr exorkizein, to swear a person (in N.T., to banish an evil spirit) < ex-, out + horkizein, to make one swear < horkos, an oath, akin to horkanē, enclosure, herkos, fence, prob. < IE base *ser-, wickerwork > L sarcire, to patch

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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