 | WordWeight : Weighing the Words |
| WordWeight : Weighing the Words |
Auto-da-fe
Pronunciation : Au"to-da-f
Part of Speech : n.; pl. Autos-da-f? (.
Etymology : [Pg., act of the faith; auto act, fr. L. actus + da of the + f? faith, fr. L. fides.]
Definition : 1. A judgment of the Inquisition in Spain and Portugal condemning or acquitting persons accused of religious offenses.
2. An execution of such sentence, by the civil power, esp. the burning of a heretic. It was usually held on Sunday, and was made a great public solemnity by impressive forms and ceremonies.
3. A session of the court of Inquisition.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
Merriam-Webster's Everyday Language Reference Set: Includes: The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, The Merriam-Webster Thesaurus, and The Merriam-Webster Vocabulary Builder                               |