noun
flagellation
flaj-uh-LAY-shun/ˌflædʒəˈleɪʃn/
The act of whipping a person.
The attendant administers flagellation with a small scourge against the kneeling penitent's clothed shoulder.
Etymology
The pieces name the act of scourging or lashing. English first used the noun for the scourging of Christ, before extending it to whipping more generally.
In context
he engages in self flagellation and becomes deliberately primitive
More examples
- Some worshippers practice flagellation as an act of penance.
- The reformers call for an end to flagellation.
- Repeated flagellations leave scars on his back.
Forms
flagellation · flagellations
flagellate verb — To whip someone, especially as punishment.
flagellant noun — A person who practices self-whipping as religious penance.
Similar words
- flogging
- More commonly describes whipping administered as an official punishment.
- scourging
- Emphasizes severe whipping, often in historical or religious accounts.