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prie-dieu

American  
[pree-dyoo, pree-dyœ] / ˈpriˈdjʊ, priˈdjœ /

noun

prie-dieus, plural prie-dieux plural
  1. a piece of furniture for kneeling on during prayer, having a rest above, as for a book.


prie-dieu British  
/ priːˈdjɜː /

noun

  1. a piece of furniture consisting of a low surface for kneeling upon and a narrow front surmounted by a rest for the elbows or for books, for use when praying

"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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of prie-dieu

1750–60; < French: literally, pray God

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.

See Examples For:

The Oratory Church of St. Boniface, in downtown Brooklyn, has a chapel dedicated to Cardinal Newman, with an oil portrait, a prie-dieu, and a gold-leaf etching of his poem “Lead, Kindly Light.”

From The New Yorker Apr. 8, 2019

His prie-dieu, at the front center of the chapel, has a padded armrest.

From Time Magazine Archive

On the prie-dieu before which the couple knelt was tactfully draped a second magnificent lace bridal veil, an unexpected last-minute gift from the Hungarian Women's Organization.

From Time Magazine Archive

Brother Louis made for the tower, and when the President opened his door, Lord Roke darted through and made for the prie-dieu in the corner of the room.

From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman

It is there called a "prie-dieu," and is said to have belonged to the Dukes of Savoy, but the size is very unusual for such a use.

From Notes and Queries, Number 196, July 30, 1853 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc by Bell, George

Frescoed, marbled 16th-century interiors lead from one into another, handsomely furnished with spiritual artifacts and a liberal supply of prie-dieus, should anyone feel the sudden desire to kneel and pray.

From New York Times Mar. 26, 2010

Among the congregation, but nearest to the two prie-dieus, knelt Sarella and Mr. Gore.

From Mariquita A Novel by Ayscough, John

Beauvouloir brought her beautiful spinning-wheels, finely-carved chests, rich carpets, pottery of Bernard de Palissy, tables, prie-dieus, chairs beautifully wrought and covered with precious stuffs, embroidered line and jewels.

From The Hated Son by Balzac, Honoré de

He crosses to one of the prie-dieus and kneels on it.

From Master Olof : a Drama in Five Acts by Björkman, Edwin

The beautiful and bright chapel of the Carmelite convent was free of people; two prie-dieus, side by side, had been placed at the entrance of the church.

From Mariquita A Novel by Ayscough, John

To accommodate the visitors, St. Edward sets out beside the grave, loosely arranged as if around a campfire, a pair of weather-beaten wooden prie-dieux, an iron garden bench and a tilting patio chair.

From New York Times Dec. 20, 2022

The Duchessa dropped on one knee, and then knelt for a few moments at one of the prie-dieux.

From Antony Gray,—Gardener by Moore, Leslie

Together the bride and groom approached the linen cloth held by the surpliced altar boys, and together they received the greatest of sacraments, then returned to their prie-dieux.

From Charred Wood by Shepherd, J. Clinton

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