n. 1. a. Preservation or deliverance from destruction, difficulty, or evil. b. A source, means, or cause of such preservation or deliverance. 2. Theology a. Deliverance from the power or penalty of sin; redemption. b. In religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism, deliverance from the cycle of rebirth and suffering. c. The agent or means that brings about such deliverance. [Middle English savacioun, from Old French sauvacion, from Late Latin salvātiō, salvātiōn-, from salvātus, past participle of salvāre, to save; see SALVAGE.] sal·vation·al adj. |
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