orant

[ awr-uhnt, ohr- ]

nounFine Arts.
  1. a representation of a female figure, with outstretched arms and palms up in a gesture of prayer, in ancient and early Christian art.

Origin of orant

1
1895–1900; <Medieval Latin ōrant- (stem of ōrāns), present participle of ōrāre to plead. See oration, -ant
  • Also o·ran·te [aw-ran-tee, oh-ran-], /ɔˈræn ti, oʊˈræn-/, orans.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use orant in a sentence

  • Quæ statim mortua est; sed paulò pòst, orante Taurino ac jubente ut resurgeret, in nomine Domini resuscitata est.

  • A massive bronze ring has the bezel engraved with the figure of an orante; on the hoop is also a sigillum engraved with a cross.

    Finger-Ring Lore | William Jones
  • The back has an Orante or Virgin in the centre, and male figures at the ends, with S-shaped striations between.

    The Shores of the Adriatic | F. Hamilton Jackson