oblation

noun

ob·​la·​tion ə-ˈblā-shən How to pronounce oblation (audio)
ō-
Synonyms of oblation
1
: the act of making a religious offering
specifically, Oblation : the act of offering the eucharistic elements to God
2
: something offered in worship or devotion : a holy gift offered usually at an altar or shrine

Examples of oblation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
To forget or exceed herself takes the form of erotic dissolution and spiritual oblation. — Saidiya Hartman, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2023 President Obama in 2015 rejected the permit as an oblation to the Paris Climate accords. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, 20 Jan. 2021 But with each rise also comes an eventual fade away — to make room for the next month’s oblation. — Gabe Bergado, Teen Vogue, 26 Aug. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Middle English oblacioun, borrowed from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French oblacion, borrowed from Late Latin oblātiōn-, oblātiō "offering, sacrifice, offering of the eucharistic elements," going back to Latin, "offering, tender, presentation," from oblā-, suppletive stem of offerre "to put in a person's path, provide, offer entry 1" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at tolerate

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of oblation was in the 15th century

Rhymes for oblation

See All Rhymes for oblation

Browse Nearby Words

oblatio
oblation
oblational
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Oblation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oblation. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on oblation

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for oblation

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about oblation

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Pyrrhic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All