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Glite Dictionary
🍷 To drink alcohol 🕯️ To pour as offering
to libate

to libate

9.9
To pour out liquid as an offering in a ceremony
  • verb
  • /ˈlaɪbeɪt/
  • Archaic
translation icon : verter
  • The priest libated the sacred wine at the altar.

Examples

  • It was customary to libate wine before beginning the feast in honor of the gods.

  • The ceremony required participants to libate water as a sign of respect for their ancestors.

  • During the ancient festival, priests would libate oil onto the sacred stones.

  • They will libate the wine during the ceremony.

  • It was customary to libate wine before beginning the feast in honor of the gods.

  • During the ancient festival, priests would libate oil onto the sacred stones.

  • The ceremony required participants to libate water as a sign of respect for their ancestors.

Synonyms

to pour a libation
vsto libate
  • Formal
9.9

To pour a drink on the ground or an altar to honor gods and dead people

is broader, meaning a ritual drink offering not limited to flowing liquid
to raise a libation
vsto libate
9.9

Offer a drink in a ceremony to honor someone or a god

focuses on physically pouring out liquid as the ritual act

Antonyms

to withhold
210 5.1

Refuse to give something someone wants or needs

How Ceremonial

consecrate
  • Formal
8.4
to libate
  • Archaic
9.9
to offer
  • Formal
384 2.5
to pour
588 1.0
to spill
347 1.0

Surface Forms

libate infinitive
libated past
libated past participle
libating present participle
libates third person singular

Etymology

The word libate comes from the Latin libare, meaning 'to pour' or 'to offer', and it is the source of the English word libation. That's why to libate can mean to pour out wine, oil, or water as an offering in a religious ceremony.