n.
- The act or process of ascending; ascent.
- Astronomy. The rising of a star above the horizon.
- Ascension
- In Christianity, the bodily rising of Jesus into heaven on the 40th day after his Resurrection.
- A feast celebrating this event, observed on Ascension Day.
[Middle English ascensioun, from Old French ascention, from Latin ascēnsiō, ascēnsiōn-, from ascēnsus, past participle of ascendere, to ascend. See ascend.]
ascensional as·cen'sion·al adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.