The Merriam-Webster Word of the Day is resurrection. Read on for what it means, how it’s used, and more. And to those that celebrate, Happy Easter!

What It Means

Resurrection can mean “resurgence” or “revival.” In Christian theology it is often associated with the rising of Christ from the dead. 

// The community applauded the resurrection of the commuter rail system.

RESURRECTION in Context

“In Egyptian mythology the phoenix perished on a pyre every five hundred years and then rose rejuvenated from the ashes. Hence the early Christians adopted the phoenix as a symbol of Christ’s resurrection.” — Rev. Thomas L. Sheridan, quoted in The Lexington (Kentucky) Herald Leader, 17 Mar. 2022

Did You Know?

Resurrection comes from Anglo-French resurreccioun. Originally, the word was used in Christian contexts to refer to the rising of Christ from the dead or to the festival celebrating this rising (now known as Easter). The word eventually began to be used more generally in the senses of “resurgence” or “revival.” Its Latin root, surgere, means “to rise.”

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