Word of the Day - 02/21/26
expiate
/ˈɛkspieɪt/(v.): atone for (guilt or sin)
He sought to expiate his past sins through years of charitable work.
Word Origin
The word 'expiate' originates from the Latin verb 'expiāre', meaning 'to make amends for, atone for, purify'. It is composed of the prefix 'ex-', meaning 'out' or 'thoroughly', and 'piāre', meaning 'to appease, propitiate, purify, or atone for'. 'Piāre' itself is derived from 'pius', meaning 'pious' or 'dutiful'.
Words with similar origins include 'pious' and 'piety', both directly stemming from the Latin root 'pius'.