noun
supplication
sup-li-KAY-shun
Supplication (noun) means the act of asking for something humbly and earnestly, especially in prayer to God; a request made in this way. Example: “The psalm is a supplication for mercy.”
noun
1
The act of asking for something humbly and earnestly, especially in prayer to God; a request made in this way.
"The psalm is a supplication for mercy."
"He knelt in supplication before the altar."
2
A humble, sometimes abject request made to a person in authority.
"Her letters to the governor read less like arguments than supplications."
How to use supplication
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHumbly begging for something, especially in prayer.
When to use it
Formal and largely religious or literary; not used in everyday speech.
Memory tip
The verb is supplicate and the person is a supplicant; the double p comes from Latin supplex.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
in supplication
prayer and supplication
hands raised in supplication
humble supplication
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The psalm is a _____ for mercy.
Etymology
From Latin supplicatio, from supplicare "to plead humbly", from supplex "kneeling, submissive", literally "bending under".
Related words
Rhymes for supplication
region
cation
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
See all rhymes for supplication →
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between supplication and prayer?
Prayer is any address to God, including praise and thanksgiving. Supplication is specifically the asking part — a humble request for help. Many Christian traditions list supplication as one category of prayer alongside adoration, confession and thanksgiving.
What is the difference between supplication and intercession?
Supplication is asking on your own behalf; intercession is asking on behalf of someone else. Both are forms of petitionary prayer, and the words are often paired in liturgy.
Is supplication used outside religion?
Yes, though rarely and always formally. It describes pleading with someone powerful in a posture of humility, and often carries a faint suggestion of undignified begging.
What is the meaning of supplication?
"supplication" (noun) means the act of asking for something humbly and earnestly, especially in prayer to God; a request made in this way.
