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Prostration vs Genuflection - What's the difference?

prostration | genuflection |

As nouns the difference between prostration and genuflection

is that prostration is the act or condition of prostrating (lying flat) oneself, as a sign of humility while genuflection is the act of genuflecting.

prostration

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • The act or condition of prostrating (lying flat) oneself, as a sign of humility.
  • A part of the ordination of Catholic and Orthodox priests.
    • The ordination ceremony includes a variety of rituals, rich in meaning and history, e.g., the prostration , laying on of hands, anointing of hands, giving of the chalice and paten, and sign of peace. — Diocese of Rochester, NY
  • Being laid face down (prone).
  • The condition of being prostrated, as from heat.
  • A reverential bow performed in Middle Eastern cultures.

    • Usage notes

    * Outside of ordination, prostration as a sign of humility has never been part of the Western tradition, but was present in the Middle-Eastern and Asian traditions.

    Derived terms

    * heat prostration

    Synonyms

    *sujud

    genuflection

    English

    Alternative forms

    * genuflexion (British )

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • the act of genuflecting