procession

[ pruh-sesh-uhn ]

noun

1. the act of moving along or proceeding proceeding in orderly succession or in a formal and ceremonious manner, as a line of people, animals, vehicles, etc.
2. the line or body of persons or things moving along in such a manner.
3. Ecclesiastical. an office, litany, etc., said or sung in a religious procession.
4. Theology. the emanation of the Holy Spirit from the Father and later, in the Western Church, from the Son: distinguished from the “generation” of the Son and the “unbegottenness” of the Father.
5. the act of coming forth from a source.

verb (used without object)

1. to go in procession.

procession

/ prəˈsɛʃən /

noun

1. the act of proceeding in a regular formation
2. a group of people or things moving forwards in an orderly, regular, or ceremonial manner
3. a hymn, litany, etc, sung in a procession
4. Christianity the emanation of the Holy Spirit

verb

1. rare.
   intr to go in procession

Word History and Origins

Origin of procession¹

before 1150; early Middle English (< Old French ) < Late Latin prōcessiōn- (stem of prōcessiō ) a religious procession, literally, a marching on. See process, -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of procession¹

C12: via Old French from Latin prōcessiō a marching forwards

Example Sentences

Thousands of spectators have taken to the streets of the City of London to watch the 2024 Lord Mayor's Show procession.

From BBC

His funeral procession will begin at 9:45 a.m.

From Los Angeles Times

BBC Radio Sussex reporter George Carden said there was a "celebratory feeling" in the town as the processions began earlier on Tuesday evening.

From BBC

Six different bonfire societies are holding processions through the East Sussex town and spectators will watch as huge effigies are paraded through the streets.

From BBC

They said she had dressed up in her bridal finery and led a procession around the village streets, before climbing into the pyre of Maal Singh, her husband of seven months.

From BBC

Related Words

• cortege
• motorcade
• succession

More About Procession

What does procession mean?

A procession is a line of people or vehicles moving along in an orderly and often ceremonial way.

A very common example is a funeral procession, which is the line of cars or people traveling together to a burial. A parade is another kind of procession.

Procession is the noun form of the verb process, meaning to proceed in or as if in a procession.

Example: The procession was so long that they had to block traffic so it could stay together.

Where does procession come from?

The first records of the word procession come from the 1100s. It comes from the Latin word prōcessiōn-, which refers to a religious procession and literally means “a marching on” or “a marching forward.” The verb process is in fact a back formation of procession—which means the word procession came first and the verb process formed from it.

Processions are usually at least somewhat formal, and they’re often seen at religious or other ceremonial gatherings. At graduations, students and faculty members often enter in a long procession. Similar processions are seen during religious ceremonies or events like weddings. Funeral processions allow mourners to stay together so that they can arrive at the burial site or other ceremony at the same time.

A fancy name for a ceremonial procession is cortege.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to procession?

• process (verb)
• processional (noun)
• processionary (adjective)

What are some synonyms for procession?

• parade
• motorcade
• cortege
• march

What are some words that share a root or word element with procession? 

 

• process
• recession

What are some words that often get used in discussing procession?

 

• funeral
• parade
• church
• line
• file
• movement
• ceremony

How is procession used in real life?

Procession is perhaps most commonly used in the phrase funeral procession. It usually refers to something that’s formal and ceremonial.

REST IN PEACE, OFFICER GRANT: A police funeral procession is traveling across Springdale to Vineyard Church where Officer Kaia Grant will be laid to rest. https://t.co/5VCbDdOutx pic.twitter.com/mHZK9N00IH

— WLWT (@WLWT) March 29, 2020

FDR's funeral procession in front of White House, 75 years ago today: #Getty pic.twitter.com/TFSc01HORE

— Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) April 14, 2020

Tonight's mourning parade. Her family drove their cars in procession behind the funeral van carrying her casket, and friends waited on sidewalks to wave and cheer. The last vehicle in the cortege was a pick-up, and friends were able to place flowers, cards, etc in the truck bed. pic.twitter.com/1soZ6k2mm5

— Elizabeth Fournier (@elizfournier) May 18, 2020

 

 

Try using procession!

At which of the following events might there be a procession?

A. funeral
B. wedding
C. graduation
D. all of the above