Prostration is a physical act of submission, humility, and reverence that involves lying flat on the ground with the face down. This practice is widely used in various religious and cultural traditions as a form of worship, supplication, and veneration. Prostration is often associated with the idea of surrendering oneself to a higher power or authority, and it is believed to demonstrate sincerity, devotion, and respect towards the divine or the sacred. In addition to its religious and cultural significance, prostration can also have psychological and physical benefits. Some studies suggest that prostration may help reduce stress and anxiety, improve blood circulation, and enhance mental focus and concentration. Prostration can also be used as a form of exercise or yoga practice, as it involves stretching and strengthening various muscles in the body. However, prostration can also have negative connotations, particularly when it is associated with acts of humiliation, subjugation, or defeat. In some contexts, prostration can be seen as a sign of weakness, subservience, or lack of self-respect. Moreover, prostration can be physically demanding and potentially harmful, especially for individuals with certain health conditions or physical limitations. Overall, prostration is a complex and multifaceted practice that reflects various cultural, religious, and psychological aspects of human experience. While it can be a powerful tool for expressing devotion and reverence, it can also be a source of controversy and debate, depending on the context and the interpretation of its meaning.
worship, surrender, humility, submission, reverence
Classified as a noun, the word “Prostration” is defined as a state or act of lying stretched out and face down as in submission or worship. Synonyms for “prostration” include bowing down, abasement, humiliation, subjugation and capitulation. Antonyms are elevation, pride and exaltation. Cognates of “prostration” appear in many Indo-European languages such as French (prosterner) and German (prosternieren). Variants include the adjectival form prostrated and the adverb prostrately.
Morphology, Proto-Indo-European, Orphan Roots, Phonological Changes, Language Development, Common Etymologies
CITATION : "George Adrian Postea. 'Prostration.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/?E=218159 (Accessed on July 03, 2025)"
The lexeme 'prostration' is a multifaceted term that can be examined from a variety of perspectives—that is, from both a linguistic and a historical perspective, as well as from a morphological and pragmatic viewpoint. From a linguistic perspective, the word can be removed from its English context, and traced etymologically back to its Latin root word, 'prostratus'. This Latin term, which can be translated to 'lying flat' or 'throwing oneself to the ground', summarizes the physical act of a person bowing down low and lying flat before someone or something. This practice was prevalently used in the past and was often employed as a sign of supplication, homage and veneration. From the morphological perspective, 'prostration' is formed of the prefix 'pro-' and the verb 'strato', which expresses an action related to lying down. Its morphological formation thus reflects the concept of the physical act of excessive submission and bending over. Furthermore, from a pragmatic perspective, the term is used in many religious and spiritual contexts, where it is associated with worshipping and praying, which further reinforces its historical roots and linguistic evolution.
Etymology, Morphology, Pragmatics, Latin, Lexeme, Supplication.
Prostration is a form of reverence, typically by prostrating oneself to the ground which is akin to lying flat on the abdomen. It is a common mode of worship in many religious and cultural ceremonies practiced in many parts of the world. Some of the equivalent words of “Prostration” in other languages are abasement, humiliation, humbleness, submission, supplication, bowing, obeisance, meekness, deference, reverence, adoration, adulation and belittlement, just to name a few. Similarly, the words honoring, homage, prostration, reverence, veneration, supplication, and genuflect are used to convey the same meaning of paying respect and showing submission.
Respecto, adorazione, ossequio, inchinarsi, sottomissione, preghiera, umile, ossequiente, deferenza, venerazione, ammirazione, adorazione, sottomissione, umiliazione, lodare, tributo, obbedienza, omaggio, genuflessione.
Prostration is a form of body posture frequently employed in anime, comics and manga. It is a form of a kneeling position where the arms are stretched out in front, while the head and torso are bowed towards the ground. This type of posture is often used in drawings of characters to emphasize feelings of humility, reverence and reverence. It can also be used to display submission or deference to another person.
Anime, comics, manga, drawing, characters, body posture, humility, reverence, submission, deference.
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