Ave Maria

[ah-vey muh-ree-uh]

noun

1. (italics),  the first two words of the Latin version of a prayer in the Roman Catholic Church, based on the salutation of the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary and the words of Elizabeth to her.

2. a recitation of this prayer.

3. the bead or beads on a rosary used to count off each prayer as spoken.

Ave Maria

/ məˈriːə /

noun

1. another name for Hail Mary

Word History and Origins

Origin of Ave Maria¹

Middle English word dating back to 1200–50; ave

Word History and Origins

Origin of Ave Maria¹

C14: from Medieval Latin: hail, Mary!