supplication

S1U1P3P3L1I1C3A1T1I1O1N1
/sʌplɪˈkeɪʃən/

noun

An act of supplicating; a humble request.

Similar
invocationpleaprayer
OriginMiddle English supplicacioun ← Old French supplication ← Latin supplicatio, supplicationem →
UncommonScrabble 18
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Meanings

nounsupplication (countable and uncountable, plural supplications)

plural supplications

  1. countableuncountableAn act of supplicating; a humble request.

    If Trump defies the Court, there is little to restrain him from acting as an autocrat, given the supplication of Republicans in Congress.

    2025 April 10, Adam Serwer, “The Confrontation Between Trump and the Supreme Court Has Arrived”, in The Atlantic, archived from the original on 11 Apr 2025
    1. countableuncountableIslamdu'a', minor or private prayer performed individually.
  2. countableuncountableA prayer or entreaty to a god.
  3. countablehistoricaluncountableIn Ancient Rome, a solemn service or day decreed for giving formal thanks to the gods for victory, etc.
  4. countableuncountableThe process by which a doctorate at Oxford university is officially requested after a thesis has been approved.

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna prayer asking God's help as part of a religious service

Similar
invocation
Broader
prayerpetitionorison

nouna humble request for help from someone in authority

Similar
plea
Broader
entreatyprayerappeal

nounthe act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)

Similar
prayer
Broader
worship
Also see
du'a'invocationpleaprayer

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinsupplicatio, supplicationem
  2. Old Frenchsupplication
  3. Middle Englishsupplicacioun
  4. Englishsupplication

From Middle English supplicacioun, supplication, from Old French supplication, from Latin supplicatio, supplicationem, from supplicare (“to supplicate”). By surface analysis, supplicate + -ion.

More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ἱκετεία, ἱκετεία
  • ἱκετεία (hiketeía)an act of supplicating
  • ἱκετεία (hiketeía)a prayer
Bulgarian молба, жалба
  • молба (molba)an act of supplicating
  • жалба (žalba)an act of supplicating
  • моли́тва (molítva)a prayer
French supplication
  • supplicationan act of supplicating
German Flehen, Bitte
  • Flehenan act of supplicating
  • Bittean act of supplicating
  • Bittenan act of supplicating
  • Gebeta prayer
  • Bittgebeta prayer
  • Flehena prayer
Greek προσευχή
  • προσευχή (prosefchí)a prayer
Hebrew הִתְחַנְּנוּת, תַּחֲנוּן
  • הִתְחַנְּנוּת (hitkhanenút)an act of supplicating
  • תַּחֲנוּן (takhanún)a prayer
Irish impí
  • impían act of supplicating
Persian لابه, لابه
  • لابه (lâbe)an act of supplicating
  • لابه (lâbe)a prayer
Polish suplikacja
  • suplikacjaa prayer
Russian про́сьба, мольба́
  • про́сьба (prósʹba)an act of supplicating
  • мольба́ (molʹbá)an act of supplicating
  • моли́тва (molítva)a prayer
  • мольба́ (molʹbá)a prayer
Turkish dua, dua
  • duaan act of supplicating
  • duaa prayer
Cite this entry
APA

supplication. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/supplication

MLA

“supplication.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/supplication. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “supplication,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/supplication.

Source: supplication on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.