prayer

¹ American  

[prair] / prɛər /

noun

1. a devout petition to God or an object of worship.

2. a spiritual communion with God or an object of worship, as in supplication, thanksgiving, adoration, or confession.

3. the act or practice of praying to God or an object of worship.

4. a formula or sequence of words used in or appointed for praying.

   the Lord's Prayer.

5. prayers, a religious observance, either public or private, consisting wholly or mainly of prayer.

6. that which is prayed for.

7. a petition; entreaty.

8. the section of a bill in equity, or of a petition, that sets forth the complaint or the action desired.

9. a negligible hope or chance.

   Do you think he has a prayer of getting that job?

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prayer ² American  

[prey-er] / ˈpreɪ ər /

noun

1. a person who prays.

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prayer ¹ British  

/ prɛə /

noun

1. 1. a personal communication or petition addressed to a deity, esp in the form of supplication, adoration, praise, contrition, or thanksgiving

   2. any other form of spiritual communion with a deity

2. a similar personal communication that does not involve adoration, addressed to beings venerated as being closely associated with a deity, such as angels or saints

3. the practice of praying

   prayer is our solution to human problems

4. (often plural) a form of devotion, either public or private, spent mainly or wholly praying

   morning prayers

5. (capital when part of a recognized name) a form of words used in praying

   the Lord's Prayer

6. an object or benefit prayed for

7. an earnest request, petition, or entreaty

8. law a request contained in a petition to a court for the relief sought by the petitioner

9. slang a chance or hope

   she doesn't have a prayer of getting married

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prayer ² British  

/ ˈpreɪə /

noun

1. a person who prays

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Other Word Forms

• prayerlessness
  noun
• prayerless
  adjective
• prayerlessly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of prayer¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English preier(e), preire, from Old French priiere, preiere, from Medieval Latin precāria, noun use of feminine of precārius “given as a favor, obtained by entreaty,” equivalent to prec- (stem of prex ) “prayer, supplication” + -ārius -ary; cf. precarious

Origin of prayer²

First recorded in 1350–1400; late Middle English preier(e), preyare; see origin at pray; see also -er ¹ ( def. ).

Explanation

A prayer is something you say to a god or deity. Your prayer can be silent words of thanks or a plea for help that's spoken out loud. Most religious believers say a prayer from time to time. While some people might use prayer as part of their plan for recovering from an illness, others bend their heads in prayer whenever they attend church or temple services. You can also say a non-religious prayer, just an entreaty or request for help. Prayer, from the Old French prier, has a Latin root: precaria, "obtained by prayer or given as a favor."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prayer

AFP photographs showed a child and an elderly man inspecting the charred entrance and windows of the mosque, where part of a prayer carpet had also been burned.

From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026

To friend and filmmaker Ava DuVernay, the work appears as both a weapon, “armor for one’s interior world,” and a prayer.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

My earnest prayer is that my release can mark the beginning of a new chapter for people of faith in China.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

No-one gave Cape Verde a prayer against European champions Spain.

From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026

Instead, he reads his prayer book and waits.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

Related Words

• appeal
• invocation
• plea
• service
• worship