prayer

¹

[prair]

noun

1. a devout petition to God or an object of worship.

2. a spiritual communion with God or an object of worship, as in supplication, thanksgiving, adoration, or confession.

3. the act or practice of praying to God or an object of worship.

4. a formula or sequence of words used in or appointed for praying.

   the Lord's Prayer.

5. prayers, a religious observance, either public or private, consisting wholly or mainly of prayer.

6. that which is prayed for.

7. a petition; entreaty.

8. the section of a bill in equity, or of a petition, that sets forth the complaint or the action desired.

9. a negligible hope or chance.

   Do you think he has a prayer of getting that job?

prayer

²

[prey-er]

noun

1. a person who prays.

prayer

¹

/ prɛə /

noun

1. 1. a personal communication or petition addressed to a deity, esp in the form of supplication, adoration, praise, contrition, or thanksgiving

   2. any other form of spiritual communion with a deity

2. a similar personal communication that does not involve adoration, addressed to beings venerated as being closely associated with a deity, such as angels or saints

3. the practice of praying

   prayer is our solution to human problems

4. (often plural) a form of devotion, either public or private, spent mainly or wholly praying

   morning prayers

5. (capital when part of a recognized name) a form of words used in praying

   the Lord's Prayer

6. an object or benefit prayed for

7. an earnest request, petition, or entreaty

8. law a request contained in a petition to a court for the relief sought by the petitioner

9. slang,  a chance or hope

   she doesn't have a prayer of getting married

prayer

²

/ ˈpreɪə /

noun

1. a person who prays

Other Word Forms

• prayerless adjective
• prayerlessly adverb
• prayerlessness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of prayer¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English preier(e), preire, from Old French priiere, preiere, from Medieval Latin precāria, noun use of feminine of precārius “given as a favor, obtained by entreaty,” equivalent to prec- (stem of prex ) “prayer, supplication” + -ārius -ary; precarious

Origin of prayer²

First recorded in 1350–1400; late Middle English preier(e), preyare; pray; -er ¹ ( def. ).

Word History and Origins

Origin of prayer¹

C13 preiere, from Old French, from Medieval Latin precāria, from Latin precārius obtained by begging, from prex prayer

Example Sentences

He asked everyone to keep her loved ones in their thoughts and prayers as "we come to terms with this heartbreaking loss," he wrote.

Read more on BBC

Jewish student groups had regularly gathered on campuses, including last week, for candlelight vigils, songs and prayer services to honor dead and living hostages in Gaza and their families two years after the Oct.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"Our prayers are with the victims, their families, and everyone impacted by this horrific act of violence."

Read more on BBC

"They were loved by their families and by the community," she said outside another prayer vigil at the Hurricane Chapel Free Will Baptist Church in nearby McEwen.

Read more on BBC

"The agreement to begin the peace process has given a spark of hope in the Holy Land," the US-born pontiff said at the end of Sunday's Angelus prayer.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• appeal 
• invocation 
• plea 
• service 
• worship