Definition of absolution
: the act of forgiving someone for having done something wrong or sinful : the act of absolving someone or the state of being absolved
specifically
: a remission of sins pronounced by a priest (as in the sacrament of reconciliation)
The rite of confessing one's sins to a priest and receiving absolution … is also recognized as a sacrament in the Anglican and Orthodox Christian traditions. — Peter Steinfels
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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The first known use of absolution was in the 13th century
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