visitation
visitation — noun
- visitationsingular
- visitationsplural
1. a formal occasion when an important person or official comes to a place to inspe
a formal occasion when an important person or official comes to a place to inspect it or to carry out a duty
The principal is awaiting a visitation from the district inspector this week.
a visitation from [authority figure]
Lara showed the safety inspector around the lab during his visitation last Thursday.
The ambassador's visitation to the school included a tour and a question session.
Tyler's restaurant was cited for health violations during the inspector's visitation.
Andrei prepared the budget documents for the UN visitation team next week.
- inspection
emphasises the checking aspect more strongly
- visit
more general and less formal; does not imply authority
文法句型
a visitation from [authority figure]
用法筆記
Typically refers to an inspection or oversight visit by an official body, rather than a casual or social visit.
2. a non-custodial parent's legally recognised entitlement to see their child on a
a non-custodial parent's legally recognised entitlement to see their child on a regular, agreed schedule, typically following a separation or divorce
The mother agreed to visitation rights for the boys' father.
visitation rights
The court granted Ignacio visitation with his daughter every other weekend.
grant [someone] visitation
After the divorce, Sari's visitation schedule was arranged through a mediator.
Hao missed his weekend visitation because his son had a fever.
The social worker reviewed Tara's visitation log to check if the schedule was followed.
- access
common in British English; same legal concept
- visiting time
more informal; used in everyday conversation
文法句型
visitation rights
have visitation
grant visitation
用法筆記
Frequently appears in legal contexts paired with 'custody.' In everyday British English, 'access' or 'contact' is more common than 'visitation.'
常見錯誤
3. an event that people believe is a message, sign, or punishment sent by God or an
an event that people believe is a message, sign, or punishment sent by God or another divine power, often taking the form of a miracle, a vision, or a natural disaster
In 1917 three shepherd children reported a visitation from the Virgin Mary.
a visitation from [divine figure]
The priest told the congregation that the drought was a visitation sent by God.
The old text describes a visitation of angels appearing before the prophet.
In medieval times, people saw the plague as a visitation of divine punishment.
The surviving villagers spoke of the earthquake as a visitation from heaven.
- theophany
more technical; specifically a visible manifestation of God
- miracle
broader; does not necessarily imply a message or punishment
- divine sign
less formal; emphasises the message aspect
文法句型
a visitation from [God / deity]
a visitation of [disaster]
用法筆記
Almost always carries a religious or biblical connotation. Modern use tends to be figurative — describing a calamity as punishment — rather than describing a literal vision.
4. the sudden appearance of a ghost, spirit, or other supernatural being, which peo
the sudden appearance of a ghost, spirit, or other supernatural being, which people briefly see or sense in a particular place
Tara claimed she woke up to a ghostly visitation in her bedroom at midnight.
ghostly visitation
The old castle is famous for supernatural visitations every full moon.
supernatural visitation
Lakshmi told her friends about a strange visitation she experienced while camping in the woods.
Historians documented a visitation of the nun's ghost in the monastery records from 1824.
Mira refused to sleep in the guest room after reporting a strange visitation there.
- apparition
more specific to ghost sightings; suggests something seen briefly
- manifestation
broader; can apply to any supernatural sign or being
- haunting
implies repeated or ongoing ghostly activity, not a single appearance
文法句型
a visitation from [ghost / spirit]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 3: sense 4 describes the appearance of a ghost or spirit, whereas sense 3 describes a divine message or punishment from a deity.