novena
Americannoun
plural
novenae, novenasnoun
Etymology
Origin of novena
1850–55; < Medieval Latin novēna, noun use of feminine singular of Latin novēnus nine each
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.
But she thought of this daily ritual as a kind of novena: a prayer repeated for nine days to appeal a misfortune or request a special favor.
From New York Times • Dec. 10, 2023
The St. Dymphna novena is available on the church website for people who want to pray at home, and posters about it have been pinned up around the church.
From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2022
Sometimes I post a prayer, like the Christmas novena, which my mother-in-law always said at the table on Christmas Eve.
From Fox News • Dec. 12, 2021
At St. Patrick, parishioners set aside a time every day for a novena prayer.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 7, 2021
Hoping for a miracle, my mom began praying a novena, which is a series of prayers asking for special graces from God.
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
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.
