1) relating to an appeasing or expiating, having placating or
    expiating force, expiatory; a means of appeasing or expiating,
    a propitiation
    1a) used of the cover of the ark of the covenant in the Holy
        of Holies, which was sprinkled with the blood of the
        expiatory victim on the annual day of atonement (this rite
        signifying that the life of the people, the loss of which
        they had merited by their sins, was offered to God in the
        blood as the life of the victim, and that God by this
        ceremony was appeased and their sins expiated); hence the
        lid of expiation, the propitiatory
    1b) an expiatory sacrifice
    1c) a expiatory victim