CultureSeptember 1, 2026

exorcism

EK-sor-siz-um

Definition

The act or ceremony of driving out an alleged evil spirit from a person or place, typically performed by a religious authority.

Etymology

The word originates from the Greek 'exorkizein', meaning to 'swear out' or 'banish by oath.' It entered English through Old French and Latin, historically denoting the religious practice of casting out demons.

In the news

In the article, the term refers to the central religious ritual performed by two priests to save a young girl in the film The Exorcist.

The 10 best horror movies of all time, ranked for 2026

Read the full article ↗

Quartz

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