visitation

noun

vis·​i·​ta·​tion ˌvi-zə-ˈtā-shən 

1

: an instance of visiting: such as

a

: an official visit (as for inspection)

b

: wake entry 2 sense 3

c

: temporary custody of a child granted to a noncustodial parent

visitation rights

2

a

: a special dispensation of divine favor or wrath

b

: a severe trial : affliction

3

capitalized : the visit of the Virgin Mary to Elizabeth recounted in Luke and celebrated July 2 by a Christian feast

Synonyms

• call
• visit

Example Sentences

He has visitation rights on the weekends.

the visitation of a diocese by a bishop

Visitation is from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m.

Recent Examples on the Web

Thousands of mourners filed past the Black teenager’s casket during his funeral and visitation in early September 1955. —Blair Kamin, chicagotribune.com, 24 Sep. 2020

In September, visitation was up 2.9% to 101,000 compared with last year, but off 28.2% from September 2019. —Richard N. Velotta, Chicago Tribune, 31 Oct. 2022

Public visitation will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Stonebriar Funeral Home, 10375 Preston Road in Frisco. —Dallas News, 20 Oct. 2022

Over-visitation could be a problem for turtles at some shipwrecks if local regulations don’t put a cap on daily visitors. —Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 15 Oct. 2022

Early in editing, the scene’s place still wasn’t yet clear; at one stage, the visitation was the final scene, leaving out the prison-yard denouement. —Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 16 Aug. 2022

In response, the park service built a tall chain-link fence topped with overhanging barbed wire, closing the site to future visitation. —Zak Podmore, The Salt Lake Tribune, 24 Oct. 2022

Spears’ ex initially got full custody of Sean and Jayden following the couple’s divorce in 2007, but that agreement changed over the years to allow the pop star more visitation. —Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2022

The survey of non-visitors examined the most common barriers to national park visitation across racial and ethnic groups. —Shanti Lerner, The Arizona Republic, 14 June 2022

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Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

visitation

noun

vis·​i·​ta·​tion ˌviz-ə-ˈtā-shən 

: an instance of visiting

especially : a visit by an important person for a reason (as an inspection)

Legal Definition

visitation

noun

vis·​i·​ta·​tion ˌvi-zə-ˈtā-shən 

1

: an official visit (as for inspection)

visitation of the home of a neglected child

2

: access to a child granted especially to a parent who does not have custody

supervised visitation

visitation rights