last rites

American

noun

Roman Catholic Church.

anointing of the sick.

last rites British

plural noun

Christianity religious rites prescribed for those close to death

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of last rites

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Today, it’s as though it’s waiting for last rites.

From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026

The time has come to read the Phillies their last rites.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 6, 2025

"Prayers and the last rites were read during his passing," he added.

From BBC • Nov. 30, 2023

On the morning of Sept. 11, while administering last rites to a firefighter, Judge, 68, was struck by falling debris and died.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 11, 2023

Abandoned by the cluster of ministrants who had obscured her as the last rites were being offered, Guenever stood like a beacon.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023