Benison

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈbɛnɪsən/

Definitions

1. A ceremonial utterance that conveys a spiritual favor or blessing can be understood as invoking divine assistance in both formal and religious occasions
2. This term signifies an invocation of divine favor and can be a formal expression intended to enhance well-being during sacred rituals
3. A formal expression or blessing that invokes divine favor is often used in religious contexts to promote goodwill and positive fortune for individuals or communities

Etymology: "Benison" is a doublet of "benediction": the two words descend from the same Latin source but reached English by different routes. The Latin "benedictio" (from "benedicere," "to speak well of" or "to bless") passed into Old French as "beneïson," and English borrowed that French form during the Middle Ages. The word "benediction" arrived later, taken more directly from Latin, which is why the two now sit side by side with slightly different shades. Middle English speakers used the form "benysoun" or "beneson," and the word first appears in English in the 14th century. Its sense has stayed close to its origins: a blessing spoken with the hope of divine favour. Where "benediction" tends to name the formal liturgical act, "benison" has kept a more poetic and archaic flavour, which is why it turns up in older religious writing and in literary descriptions of blessings bestowed on a household or a community.

Synonyms: blessing, benediction, grace

Antonyms: curse, condemnation