emancipation

noun

eman·​ci·​pa·​tion i-ˌman(t)-sə-ˈpā-shən How to pronounce emancipation (audio)
: the act or process of emancipating
emancipationist noun

Did you know?

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, ordered that enslaved people living in rebellious territories be released from the bonds of ownership and made free people—their own masters. Though the proclamation's initial impact was limited, the order was true to the etymology of emancipation, which comes from a Latin word combining the prefix e-, meaning "away," and mancipare, meaning "to transfer ownership of.”

Examples of emancipation in a Sentence

a book discussing the role that the emancipation of slaves played in the nation's history
Recent Examples on the Web After chronicling their perilous and frightening 45-day voyage, the author goes on to describe the sale of the 103 survivors of the journey to various enslavers in Alabama, their five years of bondage, and their hardscrabble lives following emancipation. Barbara Spindel, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Mar. 2024 Between May 1864 and June 1865, the island was used as a refugee camp for the freed Black people who flocked to Washington following emancipation. Sue Eisenfeld, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Feb. 2024 The identity crisis that men have been experiencing in the face of women’s increasing emancipation. Luba Kassova, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024 This collection will always give me the vitality of the women of that time, their fight for emancipation, their dreams and their attitude in a country, Italy, full of enthusiasm for the cinematic approach of Visconti, Fellini, and Monica Vitti. Nicole Phelps, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2024 He was inspired by the widespread celebration of Black history and heritage in the city during its commemoration of the 50th anniversary of emancipation, according to the association. Tobi Raji, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2024 The question addressed by the revolutionary government was the emancipation of the Jews. Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2024 Mass murders in schools have been committed by shooters for whom an AR-15 is a tool of perverted emancipation. Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2023 These acts of bravery helped pave the way for emancipation in the 1800s. Melissa Noel, Essence, 1 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'emancipation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1631, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of emancipation was in 1631

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near emancipation

Cite this Entry

“Emancipation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emancipation. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

emancipation

noun
eman·​ci·​pa·​tion i-ˌman(t)-sə-ˈpā-shən How to pronounce emancipation (audio)
: gradual separation of an original homogeneous embryo into fields with different specific potentialities for development

Legal Definition

emancipation

noun
eman·​ci·​pa·​tion i-ˌman-sə-ˈpā-shən How to pronounce emancipation (audio)
: the act or process of emancipating

More from Merriam-Webster on emancipation

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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