1. reconciling of people: the ending of conflict or renewing of a friendly relationship between disputing people or groups a series of quarrels and reconciliations
2. achievement of consistency or compatibility: the making of two or more apparently conflicting things consistent or compatible the reconciliation of such action with his pacifist principles
3. christianity sacrament of penance: the sacrament in the Roman Catholic Church whereby a person's sins are absolved through confession and penance
[14th century. Directly or via French< Latin reconciliation-< reconciliare (see reconcile)]