atonement
noun/əˈtoʊnmənt/
Etymology Perhaps from atone + -ment as translation of Medieval Latin adūnāmentum; however, the noun is found earlier than the verb (atone); and in this light, the proper etymology is at + onement.
1
Making amends to restore a damaged relationship; expiation.
- When a man has been guilty of any vice, the best atonement he can make for it is, to warn others.1711 March 19 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “THURSDAY, March 9, 1710–1711”, in The Spectator, number 8; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume I, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC:
- 1697-1698, John Potter, Archaeologia Graeca The Phocians behaved themselves with so much gallantry, that they were thought to have made a sufficient atonement for their former offense.
3
Archaic Reconciliation; restoration of friendly relations; concord.
- by whom we have now received the atonement1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Romans 5:11:
- He desires to make atonement Betwixt the Duke of Gloucester and your brothers.c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:
- Synonyms
- assyth, atonement, compensation, expiation, indemnification, piation, propitiation, refaction
- Antonyms
- nonatonement
- Derived terms
- antiatonement, blood atonement, limited atonement, nonatonement, substitutionary atonement, vicarious atonement
- Related terms
- penance, penitance, expiation, reconciliation, conciliation, Yom Kippur, adunatio, atone, guilt
- Hypernyms
- restitution
- Hyponyms
- penance, satispassion