excommunicate

verb

ex·​com·​mu·​ni·​cate ˌek-skə-ˈmyü-nə-ˌkāt 

excommunicated; excommunicating; excommunicates

transitive verb

: to subject to excommunication

excommunicator

ˌek-skə-ˈmyü-nə-ˌkā-tər 

noun

Examples of excommunicate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Vatican promptly excommunicated Lefebvre and the four other bishops, and the group today still has no legal status in the Catholic Church. —Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026

Many of those on the list were members of Table Rock Church, which had excommunicated the couple. —Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 23 Apr. 2026

King John opposed his choice, prompting Innocent to excommunicate the king and place England under interdict, meaning the English could not participate in church sacraments. —Joëlle Rollo-Koster, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2026

Viganò — who though excommunicated, is allowed to keep his Archbishop title — has been present on the set of the sequel that is currently doing exterior shoots in various locations south of Rome. —Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin excommunicatus, past participle of excommunicare, from Latin ex- + Late Latin communicare to communicate

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for excommunicate

• borosilicate
• decontaminate
• deoxycholate
• deteriorate
• differentiate
• diisocyanate
• dinoflagellate
• incapacitate
• insubordinate
• intercorporate
• interpenetrate
• isocyanate

Kids Definition

excommunicate

verb

ex·​com·​mu·​ni·​cate

ˌeks-kə-ˈmyü-nə-ˌkāt

excommunicated; excommunicating

: to shut off officially from the rights of church membership

excommunication

-ˌmyü-nə-ˈkā-shən

noun

excommunicator

-ˈmyü-nə-ˌkāt-ər

noun