Banishments

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of expelling individuals from a location or group entails both the resulting conditions faced by those affected and the authoritative decision mandating such exclusion
2. This practice involves the removal of individuals from their community, leading to specific repercussions for the exiled parties, and is often backed by formal resolutions mandating their departure
3. The process of expelling someone from a place or social group by authority

Etymology: "Banishments" is the plural of "banishment," a noun formed in English from the verb "banish" plus the suffix "-ment." The suffix itself has a long pedigree: it descends from a Proto-Indo-European element that formed nouns of action, passed into Latin as "-mentum," and reached English through Old French "-ment." English has used this suffix to turn verbs into nouns for centuries, so "banishment" is built in the same way as words like "judgment" or "ament." The verb "banish" is the more interesting half of the pair. It entered English from Old French, where its stem was "banir," a word that carried the sense of public proclamation and summons, and that ultimately traces back to a Germanic origin connected with the idea of a summons or decree. Over time the sense narrowed from calling someone forth to driving someone away. "Banishment" therefore names the act of that forced removal, and the plural "banishments" points to multiple such official expulsions.

Synonyms: exiles, expulsions, deportations

Antonyms: welcome, acceptance