aphorismos

noun

apho·​ris·​mos

ˌäfərēzˈmȯs

plural aphorismoi

-ˈmē

Eastern Church

: temporary excommunication

Word History

Etymology

Late Greek (influenced in meaning by aphorizein to excommunicate, from Greek, to cast out), from Greek, definition, short, pithy sentence

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!