1375–1425; late Middle English sexte, syxt < Medieval Latin sexta ( hōra ) sixth (hour)
2005–10; blend of sex 1 ( def. ) + text ( def. )
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Bartholomew would harangue them until the bell tolled for sext, the midday prayers.
From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz
How that Henry the sext was crouned king be the might of grete lordes.
From The Boke of Noblesse by Unknown
From tierce to sext, and then again from sext to nones, Abbot John of the House of Waverley had been seated in his study while he conducted the many high duties of his office.
From Sir Nigel by Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir
All met in the church at the canonical hours of tierce, sext, none, and vespers, but returned to their cells, none being allowed to speak, to jest, or to be one moment idle.
From The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Principal Saints January, February, March by Butler, Alban
Little hours B.V.M., recited; tierce, mass, sext, sung.
From A Short History of Monks and Monasteries by Wishart, Alfred Wesley
From Matins at 5:30 a.m. through Lauds, Prime, Mass, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline, the monks sing their way through each day, striving always for perfection.
From Time Magazine Archive
Sext is one of the canonical hours of the Catholic Church.
From The Bible in Spain - Vol. 2 [of 2] by Borrow, George Henry
Prime may be, and, probably with more appropriateness, should be used as morning prayer and said before Mass. Terce and Sext may be said before mid-day, or Sext and None may be said after mid-day.
From The Divine Office by Quigley, Edward J.
As regards the little hours—Prime, Terce, Sext, None and Compline—the freedom of the competent ecclesiastical authorities was as yet unconfined by canonical restrictions.
From The Divine Office by Quigley, Edward J.
Antony complained that Octavian had given him no share in the provinces wrested from Sext.
From The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 02 (From the Rise of Greece to the Christian Era) by Horne, Charles F. (Charles Francis)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
