/ ˌdɪspenˈseɪʃn; NAmE / noun
1.
[ C , U ] special permission, especially from a religious leader, to do sth that is not usually allowed or legal :
She needed a special dispensation to remarry.
The sport's ruling body gave him dispensation to compete in national competitions.
2.
[ U ] ( formal ) the act or process of providing sth, especially by sb in authority :
the dispensation of justice
3.
[ C ] ( technical ) a political or religious system that operates in a country at a particular time
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Latin dispensatio(n-) , from the verb dispensare continue to weigh out or disburse, from the verb dispendere , based on pendere weigh.