rosary
/ˈrəʊz(ə)ri
/noun (plural rosaries)
1(In the Roman Catholic Church) a form of devotion in which five (or fifteen) decades of Hail Marys are repeated, each decade preceded by an Our Father and followed by a Glory Be.Isabella felt so blessed by God that she offered two novenas, three rosaries and gave more donations to the order she was part of....
- Feasts of the village patron saint are celebrated, the rosary said every evening and funeral rites arranged and paid for when necessary.
- The mission began each morning with a Mass at five o'clock, followed by a second at nine-thirty and rosary in the evenings at seven with instruction.
1.1A string of beads for keeping count in a rosary or in the devotions of some other religions, in Roman Catholic use 55 or 165 in number: she is telling her rosary [as modifier]: rosary beads...
- One man was holding a long string of rosary beads in his trembling hands.
- She had her rosary beads, and was praying to St. Catherine.
- Her head was bowed, lips moving silently as she clutched her rosary beads.
1.2A book containing a rosary.There are shops and stalls where you can buy rosaries, beads, postcards, books and fluffy toys....
- Their mailbox is packed daily with letters from well-wishers containing prayer cards, medals and rosaries.
Origin
Late Middle English (in the sense 'rose garden'): from Latin rosarium 'rose garden', based on rosa 'rose'.