noun. A washing or cleansing of the body, especially as part of a religious rite.

noun. The liquid so used.

noun. In a general sense, the act of washing; a cleansing or purification by water.

noun. Any ceremonial washing.

noun. In the Roman Catholic Church: The washing of the feet of the poor (John xiii. 14) on Maundy or Holy Thursday, called mandatum. The washing of the celebrant's hands before and after communion. In the Eastern Church, the purification of the newly baptized on the eighth day after baptism.

noun. In the Roman Catholic Church, the wine and water which after communion are separately poured into the chalice over the thumb and index-finger of the officiating priest, who drinks this ablution before going on with the closing prayers.

noun. In chem., the purification of bodies by the affusion of a proper liquor, as water to dissolve salts.

noun. In medicine, the washing of the body externally, as by baths, or internally, by diluent fluids.

noun. The water used in cleansing.

noun. The act of washing or cleansing; specifically, the washing of the body, or some part of it, as a religious rite.

noun. The water used in cleansing.

noun. A small quantity of wine and water, which is used to wash the priest's thumb and index finger after the communion, and which then, as perhaps containing portions of the consecrated elements, is drunk by the priest.

noun. The act of washing something.

noun. The ritual consumption by the deacon or priest of leftover sacred wine of host after the Communion.

noun. the ritual washing of a priest's hands or of sacred vessels

"When the minor ablution is ended, the worshipper should say, I testify that there is no god but the God, the One, which for partner hath none, and I testify that Mohammed is His servant and His apostle."

abluent  ablute  

lavation  ritual  wash  washing  

abstersion  bathe  clyster  expurgation  quaffing  

cleaning out  douche  douching  elution  elutriation