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• vesper
  vesper

  noun

  the evening star, especially Venus; Hesperus.
• Vesper
  Vesper

  noun

  the planet Venus, when appearing as the evening star

vesper

American  

[ves-per] / ˈvɛs pər /

noun

1. (initial capital letter) the evening star, especially Venus; Hesperus.

2. Also called vesper bell.  a bell rung at evening.

3. (sometimes initial capital letter) vespers,

   1. a religious service in the late afternoon or the evening.

   2. the sixth of the seven canonical hours, or the service for it, occurring in the late afternoon or the evening.

   3. Roman Catholic Church. a part of the office to be said in the evening by those in major orders, frequently made a public ceremony in the afternoons or evenings of Sundays and holy days.

   4. Anglican Church. evensong.

4. Archaic. evening.

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adjective

1. of, pertaining to, appearing in, or proper to the evening.

2. of or relating to vespers.

vesper ¹ British  

/ ˈvɛspə /

noun

1. an evening prayer, service, or hymn

2. an archaic word for evening

3. (modifier) of or relating to vespers

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Vesper ² British  

/ ˈvɛspə /

noun

1. the planet Venus, when appearing as the evening star

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Etymology

Origin of vesper

1350–1400; Middle English, partly < Latin: evening, evening star; partly < Old French vespres evening service < Medieval Latin vesperās, accusative plural of Latin vespera, feminine variant of vesper; cognate with Greek hésperos; akin to west

Explanation

A vesper is an evening song. It also refers to evening prayers, and then it’s usually plural as vespers. Whether it’s a church service or a jazz band at sunset, if it’s in the evening, it’s a vesper. Vesper hasn’t changed much over the years, in Latin it means “evening star,” and in Old English it’s æfen-sang, which sounds a little like “evening song.” In the Christian tradition, vespers are prayer services occurring later in the day. In the Roman Catholic Church vespers are a series of prayers that church officials and believers say together. This word has had several meanings over time, but most are related to evening, which is when the prayers take place.

Example Sentences

Mr. Sidebottom divides the gladiator’s day into 12 segments—from vesper to vesper—and devotes a chapter of his book to each.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

These ascents are called vespers flights, or vesper flights, after the Latin vesper for evening.

From New York Times • Jul. 29, 2020

Me, I sang Laura Nyro’s “Buy and Sell,” which says, among other things, “death tolls like a vesper bell.”

From Slate • Dec. 8, 2019

On another occasion, I ordered a vesper and got a negroni.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 27, 2014

It seemed a wonderful supper to them all, eaten out there under the trees, with the birds beginning their vesper songs and the stars peeping out slyly.

From The Enchanted Barn by Hill, Grace Livingston

Related Words

• evening