Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The fulfillment or gratification of a desire, need, or appetite.
  • noun Pleasure or contentment derived from such gratification.
  • noun An instance of being satisfied or a source of gratification.
  • noun Assurance beyond doubt or question; complete conviction.
  • noun Compensation for injury or loss; reparation.
  • noun The opportunity to avenge a wrong; vindication.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The act of satisfying, or of fully supplying or gratifying wants or wishes; full compliance with demands; fulfilment of conditions.
  • noun In theology, the doctrine of satisfaction is the doctrine that the sufferings and death of Christ satisfied the requirements of God's justice, and thus prepared the way for the forgiveness of sins. The word does not occur in this sense in the Scriptures.
  • noun Extinguishment of an obligation or claim by payment, or by surrender or concession of something accepted as equivalent to payment; quittance.
  • noun Compensation; reparation; atonement.
  • noun The state of being satisfied; a gratified or contented feeling or state of mind; tranquillity resulting from gratified desire; content; gratification.
  • noun Means or opportunity of repairing a supposed wrong done to one's honor, as by duel, or, in place of it, by apology and reparation; the acceptance by the aggressor of a challenge to single combat with the aggrieved person, or the hostile meeting which ensues.
  • noun Eccles., part of the sacrament of penance. See penance.
  • noun Synonyms Atonement, Expiation, etc. See propitiation.
  • noun 2 and Recompense, amends, remuneration, requital, payment.
  • noun Contentment, etc. (see contentment); pleasure, enjoyment.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The act of satisfying, or the state of being satisfied; gratification of desire; contentment in possession and enjoyment; repose of mind resulting from compliance with its desires or demands.
  • noun Settlement of a claim, due, or demand; payment; indemnification; adequate compensation.
  • noun That which satisfies or gratifies; atonement.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A fulfillment of a need or desire.
  • noun The pleasure obtained by such fulfillment.
  • noun The source of such gratification.
  • noun A reparation for an injury or loss.
  • noun A vindication for a wrong suffered.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun act of fulfilling a desire or need or appetite
  • noun compensation for a wrong
  • noun the contentment one feels when one has fulfilled a desire, need, or expectation
  • noun state of being gratified or satisfied
  • noun (law) the payment of a debt or fulfillment of an obligation

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin satisfactiō, satisfactiōn-, amends, from satisfactus, past participle of satisfacere, to satisfy; see satisfy.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin satisfactio.

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