coronation

noun

cor·​o·​na·​tion ˌkȯr-ə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce coronation (audio)
ˌkär-
: the act or occasion of crowning
also : accession to the highest office

Examples of coronation in a Sentence

the coronation of Queen Elizabeth
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Oba Femi defeated Brock Lesnar in a Hell in a Cell match, a major coronation for Femi. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 Infantino could look ahead to his likely reelection coronation next March. — Graham Dunbar, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2026 Alderton has played a massive role in supporting King Charles, 77, notably in preparing for the sovereign's 2022 accession to the throne, 2023 coronation ceremony and the first years of his reign. — Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026 Jackson was viewed as the frontrunner for the nomination from the moment Platner dropped out, which meant Saturday’s convention was in effect a coronation. — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for coronation

Word History

Etymology

Middle English coronacioun, borrowed from Anglo-French coronacion, borrowed from Medieval Latin corōnātiōn-, corōnātiō (Late Latin, "wreathing"), from Latin corōnare "to deck with flowers, wreathe, crown entry 2" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of coronation was in the 14th century

Rhymes for coronation

See All Rhymes for coronation

Browse Nearby Words

coronate
coronation
Coronation Island
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Coronation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coronation. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

coronation

noun
cor·​o·​na·​tion ˌkȯr-ə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce coronation (audio)
ˌkär-
: the act or ceremony of crowning a king or queen

More from Merriam-Webster on coronation

Nglish: Translation of coronation for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about coronation

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of invidious

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All