reconciliation

[ rek-uhn-sil-ee-ey-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of coming to an understanding and putting an end to hostility, as when former enemies agree to an amicable truce:

   Thirty years later, the rebel son is seeking reconciliation with his mother and sister.

   Reconciliation between the government and the Indigenous community will take more than pleasant words.

2. the state of being resigned to something undesirable, or the process of achieving this state; acceptance:

   Telling them about her son as he was before the accident gave her a sense of peace and reconciliation with her loss.

3. the act or process of making consistent or compatible:

   There is a tension between justice and mercy, and their reconciliation is not easy or obvious.

4. the act or process of verifying one account or set of figures with another to ensure or test for accuracy:

   Reconciliation of the sum of money received and the number of tickets sold revealed a few reporting errors.

5. U.S. Government. a Congressional procedure under which a simple majority of votes in the Senate is enough to pass legislation relating to the federal budget: used in order to avoid a potential filibuster.

Reconciliation

/ ˌrɛkənˌsɪlɪˈeɪʃən /

noun

1. RC Church a sacrament in which repentant sinners are absolved and gain reconciliation with God and the Church, on condition of confession of their sins to a priest and of performing a penance

Other Words From

• non·rec·on·cil·i·a·tion noun
• pre·rec·on·cil·i·a·tion noun
• pro·rec·on·cil·i·a·tion adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of reconciliation¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English reconsiliacion, from Latin reconciliātiōn-, stem of reconciliātiō “renewal, restoration,” from reconciliāt(us) “restored, reunited” (past participle of reconciliāre “to repair, restore, reunite”; reconcile ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

In the years that have passed, there have been other firsts and many other gestures in a bid to promote reconciliation and good relations.

From BBC

In the years that have passed, there have been made other firsts and many other gestures in a bid to promote reconciliation.

From BBC

Republican leaders in Congress have said that this time, if they retake majorities in both chambers, they’ll use their reconciliation bills to combine renewed tax cuts with aggressive cuts to social spending.

From Salon

Nova Peris, a former senator who was the first Aboriginal woman in parliament, described it as an “embarrassing” move which didn’t “reflect the manners, or approach to reconciliation, of Aboriginal Australians at large”.

From BBC

But, as so often is the case, it was the unexpected moment that highlighted the tensions that still simmer here between modern Australia and its reconciliation with its past.

From BBC

Related Words

• accord
• agreement
• compromise
• harmony
• rapprochement
• settlement

More About Reconciliation

What does reconciliation mean?

Reconciliation is the process of two people or groups in a conflict agreeing to make amends or come to a truce.

Reconciliation is also the name of a Catholic sacrament involving the confession of sin. Less commonly, reconciliation refers to when someone accepts an undesirable situation, or to the process of making things compatible.

Example: After years of conflict, the two parties have agreed to meet with the goal of reconciliation.

Where does reconciliation come from?

The first records of the word reconciliation come from the 1300s. It is the noun form of the verb reconcile, which comes from the Latin reconciliāre, meaning “to make good again” or “to repair.”

Reconciliation is meant to repair relationships that are broken. It can happen between two people, such as former friends who had a falling-out. Or it can happen between groups, such as warring factions in a country. Reconciliation is usually thought to create more than just a truce. When true reconciliation occurs, the two formerly hostile sides become respectful of each other—and, ideally, friends.

In the Roman Catholic Church, Reconciliation is the name of a sacrament in which people confess their sins—a process popularly known as confession. It is sometimes also called Penance.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to reconciliation?

• reconcile (verb)
• nonreconciliation (noun)
• prereconcilition (noun)
• proreconciliation (adjective)

What are some synonyms for reconciliation?

• settlement
• harmony
• compromise
• accord

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

 

• conciliate
• conciliatory

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

 

• forgiveness
• sacrament
• relationship
• sin
• penance
• amicable
• mediation

How is reconciliation used in real life?

Reconciliation is typically used in the context of two parties that have a serious, longstanding dispute, and it’s usually considered a slow, difficult process. It’s also commonly used as the name of the Catholic sacrament also known as confession.

It's aggravating when teachers focus on the drama among students rather than the possible solutions or, in one specific case, the reconciliation between two students. I asked a basic question regarding the latter, and too many colleagues fell to the floor,

— Be(e) (@srlharris) March 6, 2020

Today I witnessed remarkable courage of #Afghans as they stood in defiance against cowardly terrorists who tried to disrupt the inauguration of @ashrafghani. Unity, reconciliation & peace needed now more than ever. @NATO stands with #ANDSF & Afghan people. pic.twitter.com/9tutA6FoXL

— Sir Nick Kay (@NicholasK111) March 9, 2020

Friends, this holy season of #Advent is a wonderful time to go back to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Because in the Sacrament of Penance we find that Jesus is there — waiting to forgive us. Waiting to show us his infinite mercy and give us the strength of his grace.

— Abp. José H. Gomez (@ArchbishopGomez) December 13, 2019

 

 

Try using reconciliation!

True or false? 

Reconciliation is the same as an apology.