rite of passage

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Word: Rite of Passage

Definition:
A "rite of passage" is a ceremony or event that marks an important transition in a person's life. This often happens when someone moves from one stage of life to another, such as from childhood to adulthood.

Advanced Usage:

• The term can also be used metaphorically to describe any significant life experience that leads to personal growth or change.
• For example, "Traveling alone for the first time was a rite of passage for her, helping her gain independence."

Word Variants:

• Ritual: A related term that refers to a series of actions performed in a prescribed order, often within a rite of passage.
• Transition: The process of changing from one state or condition to another.

Different Meanings:

• While "rite of passage" primarily refers to cultural ceremonies, it can also refer to any experience that signifies a significant change, even in a personal or professional context.

Synonyms:

• Ceremony
• Celebration
• Transition
• Milestone

Related Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• Come of age: This idiom means to reach maturity or adulthood, which often coincides with a rite of passage.

  • Example: "Turning 18 is often considered the time when young people come of age."

• Cross the threshold: This phrase means to enter a new phase of life or experience.

  • Example: "After getting married, she felt she had crossed the threshold into adulthood."

Summary:

A "rite of passage" is an important event or ceremony that signifies a change in a person's life, often reflecting their transition from one stage to another, such as from childhood to adulthood.

Academic

Noun

1. a ritual performed in some cultures at times when an individual changes status (as from adolescence to adulthood)