fornication

[ fawr-ni-key-shuhn ]
See synonyms for fornication on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. voluntary sexual intercourse between two unmarried persons or two persons not married to each other.

  2. Bible. idolatry.

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Origin of fornication

1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English fornicacioun, from Late Latin fornicātiōn-, stem of fornicātiō; equivalent to fornicate1 + -ion

Other words from fornication

  • for·ni·ca·to·ry [fawr-ni-kuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee], /ˈfɔr nɪ kəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i/, adjective

Words that may be confused with fornication

Words Nearby fornication

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use fornication in a sentence

  • Thou hast moreover multiplied thy fornication in the land of Canaan unto Chaldea; and yet thou wast not satisfied herewith.

    The Prophet Ezekiel | Arno C. Gaebelein
  • With this spiritual fornication, an idolatrous worship, there was connected the grossest lusts of the flesh.

    The Prophet Ezekiel | Arno C. Gaebelein

British Dictionary definitions for fornication

fornication

/ (ˌfɔːnɪˈkeɪʃən) /


noun
  1. voluntary sexual intercourse outside marriage

  2. law voluntary sexual intercourse between two persons of the opposite sex, where one is or both are unmarried

  1. Bible sexual immorality in general, esp adultery

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012