Added 10 October 2026
atonement
/əˈtoʊnmənt/ noun
In Latin: luella Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about atonement at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
-
Compensation for a wrong.
we were unable to get satisfaction from the local store
- The act of atoning for sin or wrongdoing (especially appeasing a deity).
Origin
Perhaps from atone + -ment as translation of Medieval Latin adūnāmentum; however, the noun is found earlier than the verb (atone); and in this light, the proper etymology is at + onement.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)