Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
triblet
tribo-
triboelectricity
tribology
triboluminescence
tribomaterial
tribrach
tribromoethanol
tribulation
tribunal
tribunate
tribune (1)
tribune (2)
Tribune Group
tributary
tribute
tribute act
Click to move down the list of words
Print Preview
See pronunciation key
Search for "tribulat..." in all of MSN Encarta
E-mail this entry
Blog about this entry on MSN Spaces
Download the MSN Encarta Right-Click Dictionary

tribulation

trib·u·la·tion [ trìbbyə láysh'n ] (plural trib·u·la·tions)


noun 
Definition:
 
1. hardship: great difficulty, affliction, or distress

2. cause of suffering: something that causes great difficulty, affliction, or distress, e.g. an ordeal
the trials and tribulations of the struggling author

[13th century. Via French< ecclesiastical Latin tribulation- < Latin tribulare "afflict, press" < tribulum "threshing tool" < terere "rub"]
Advertisement

Also on Encarta
Englishtown: Learn English online
Our Partners
Also on MSN
Encarta Message Boards (© Rubberball/Jupiterimages)
Shopping
© 2009 Microsoft