Definitions

1. noun

the act of making amends or offering a form of punishment for a wrong or sin, especially in a ritual or symbolic way.

“The donation of a large sum of money was seen as an expiation for the company’s role in the environmental disaster.”

2. noun

a person or thing that serves to expiate or atone for a wrong or sin.

“The queen was considered a symbol of national expiation for the country’s past mistakes.”