Dormition

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /dɔːˈmɪʃ(ə)n/

Definitions

1. The act or state of falling asleep used metaphorically for death, often in religious contexts
2. The process or condition of entering a peaceful sleep symbolizing passing away, frequently associated with saints
3. A calm and restful state resembling sleep that signifies the end of life, particularly in sacred traditions

Etymology: The word "dormition" comes from a Latin verb meaning "to sleep," and in Christian usage it was chosen to describe a death that is not really a death at all. In Latin, "dormītiōnem" referred simply to the act of falling asleep. Its path into English ran through Middle French "dormition," and the sense that matters here is the theological one: the Church applied the image of sleep to the passing of holy people, suggesting that the body rests while the soul moves on to God. The most famous use is the Feast of the Dormition, observed in Eastern Orthodox and Catholic traditions, which commemorates the death of the Virgin Mary. Its name signals the belief that Mary fell asleep rather than suffered ordinary death, a framing that has shaped how artists and writers depicted her final hours for centuries.

Synonyms: sleep, slumber, rest, repose

Antonyms: wakefulness, alertness