Definitions

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

  • noun Mild, kind, yet earnest reproof.
  • noun Cautionary advice or warning.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The act, or an act, of admonishing; counsel or advice; gentle reproof; instruction in duties; caution; direction.
  • noun Eccles., public or private reproof to reclaim an offender: the first step in church discipline, followed, when unheeded, by suspension or excommunication.

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

  • noun Gentle or friendly reproof; counseling against a fault or error; expression of authoritative advice; friendly caution or warning.

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

  • noun Gentle or friendly reproof; counseling against fault or oversight; warning.

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

  • noun cautionary advice about something imminent (especially imminent danger or other unpleasantness)
  • noun a firm rebuke

Etymologies

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

[Middle English amonicioun, from Old French amonition, from Latin admonitiō, admonitiōn-, from admonitus, past participle of admonēre, to admonish; see admonish.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Middle English amonicioun, from Old French amonicion, from Latin admonitio, stem of admonere. The -d- was restored in English in the 17th century.

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Examples

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  • admonitory

    adjective: serving to warn; expressing reproof or reproach especially as a corrective

    At the assembly, the high school vice-principal gave the students an admonitory speech, warning them of the many risks and dangers of prom night.

    October 19, 2016