What does annunciation mean?
Annunciation is a noun with two closely related senses: a formal act of announcing something, and — far more prominently today — the pivotal moment in Christian tradition when the archangel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary that she would conceive and bear the son of God. This event, commemorated on the feast of the Annunciation on March 25th, has inspired some of the most celebrated works in Western art, from Fra Angelico's serene frescoes to Leonardo da Vinci's early masterpiece. In everyday usage, the capitalized form 'the Annunciation' nearly always signals the religious meaning, while the uncapitalized word can describe any public proclamation or declaration. Derived from the Latin 'annuntiatio', meaning a declaration or notification, the word shares roots with 'announce' and 'enunciate'. It carries a formal, dignified register and appears most often in religious, artistic, and historical writing rather than casual conversation.
The announcement by the archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that she would conceive and bear the son of God, commemorated as a Christian feast on March 25.
"The cathedral's stained glass window portrays the Annunciation with Gabriel holding white lilies."
Usually capitalized as 'the Annunciation' when referring to the biblical event or its feast day.
A formal or public announcement of something.
"The government's annunciation of the new policy drew immediate criticism from opposition parties."
Less common than the religious sense; often replaced in modern usage by simpler words like 'announcement' or 'proclamation'.
The plural is rare and typically appears only in art-historical or scholarly contexts when discussing multiple depictions or instances of the event.
"The exhibition gathered annunciations from across five centuries of European painting."
Every March 25th — exactly nine months before Christmas — Christians mark the Annunciation, the moment an angel's single sentence changed the course of Western art, inspiring masterpieces from Fra Angelico to Dante Gabriel Rossetti.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of annunciation
Annunciation derives from the Latin 'annuntiatio', meaning 'a declaring, announcement, or notification', formed from 'annuntiare' ('to announce'), which combines 'ad-' ('to, toward') with 'nuntiare' ('to declare'), from 'nuntius' ('messenger'). The word entered English via Old French in the medieval period, initially carrying both its general sense of proclamation and its specific Christian sense referring to Gabriel's message to Mary. It shares this Latin root with related words such as 'announce', 'enunciate', 'denounce', and 'nuncio', all tracing back to the idea of delivering a message.
Related word forms
How annunciation is actually used
When capitalized as 'the Annunciation', the word almost always refers specifically to the biblical event and its liturgical feast; lowercase 'annunciation' may refer to any formal announcement. The religious sense dominates modern usage, especially in art-historical contexts. The word carries a formal, somewhat elevated register.
Easily confused with annunciation
Enunciation refers to the clear articulation of words when speaking, while annunciation is an announcement or the biblical event of Gabriel's message to Mary.
Denunciation is a public condemnation of someone or something, whereas annunciation is a neutral announcement or the Christian feast commemorating Gabriel's announcement.