Kyrie eleison

[keer-ee-ey e-ley-uh-sawn, -son, -suhn, kee-ree-e e-le-ee-sawn]

noun

1. (italics),  the brief petition “Lord, have mercy,” used in various offices of the Greek Orthodox Church and of the Roman Catholic Church.

2. the brief response or petition in services in the Anglican Church, beginning with the words, “Lord, have mercy upon us.”

3. Also called Kyrie. a musical setting of either of these.

Kyrie eleison

/ ˈkɪrɪɪ əˈleɪsən /

noun

1. a formal invocation used in the liturgies of the Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Anglican Churches

2. a musical setting of this

Word History and Origins

Origin of Kyrie eleison¹

1300–50; Middle English kyrieleyson < Medieval Latin, Late Latin Kyrie eleīson < Late Greek Kýrie eléēson Lord, have mercy

Word History and Origins

Origin of Kyrie eleison¹

C14: via Late Latin from Late Greek kurie, eleēson Lord, have mercy