pilgrimage

1 of 2

noun

pil·​grim·​age ˈpil-grə-mij How to pronounce pilgrimage (audio)
1
: a journey of a pilgrim
especially : one to a shrine or a sacred place
2
: the course of life on earth

pilgrimage

2 of 2

verb

pilgrimaged; pilgrimaging

intransitive verb

: to go on a pilgrimage

Examples of pilgrimage in a Sentence

Noun He made a pilgrimage to Mecca. The family went on a pilgrimage to historical battlefields. The tradition of pilgrimage is important in Islam. The poet's grave site has become a place of pilgrimage. Verb tourists pilgrimaging to all of the traditional destinations across Europe
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.
Noun
Eight species of swans, from the classic North American trumpeter to the steely Russian Bewick, resided there and inspired regular pilgrimages to gawk, to (illegally) feed, to admire. Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 12 Nov. 2025 Visitors can also walk along part of the ancient Camino de Santiago pilgrimage path to step back in time and meet farmers and artisans along the way. Spain Tourism, Miami Herald, 12 Nov. 2025
Verb
Advertisement Travel to the country once limited essentially to pilgrimage and business travel, opened with a tourist e-visa in 2019 and has since become an engine of jobs and investment. Ali Shihabi, Time, 8 Sep. 2025 Next year will mark the culmination of its Jubilee Year celebrations, and through January, the city will continue to host pilgrimage events, public art installations, and expanded museum programming. AFAR Media, 4 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pilgrimage

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1621, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pilgrimage was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pilgrimage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pilgrimage. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

pilgrimage

noun
pil·​grim·​age
ˈpil-grə-mij
: a journey of a pilgrim
pilgrimage verb

More from Merriam-Webster on pilgrimage

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!