vigil

American  

[vij-uhl] / ˈvɪdʒ əl /

noun

1. wakefulness or watchfulness maintained for any reason during the normal hours for sleeping.

   They passed many hours in vigil.

2. a watch or a period of watchful attention maintained at night or at other times.

   The nurse kept her vigil at the bedside of the dying man.

3. a quiet demonstration to support a cause, protest an injustice, honor the dead, etc..

   A candlelight vigil in remembrance of the two fallen officers will be held tonight at sundown.

4. Ecclesiastical.

   1. Sometimes vigils a nocturnal devotional exercise or service, especially on the eve before a church festival.

      The Easter vigil reflects on the holy sacraments as well as the resurrection and ascension of Christ.

   2. the eve, or day and night, before a church festival, especially an eve that is a fast.

5. a period of wakefulness from inability to sleep.

---

vigil British  

/ ˈvɪdʒɪl /

noun

1. a purposeful watch maintained, esp at night, to guard, observe, pray, etc

2. the period of such a watch

3. RC Church Church of England the eve of certain major festivals, formerly observed as a night spent in prayer: often marked by fasting and abstinence and a special Mass and divine office

4. a period of sleeplessness; insomnia

---

Etymology

Origin of vigil

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English vigil(i)e, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin vigilia “eve of a holy day,” special use of Latin vigilia “watchfulness,” equivalent to vigil “sentry” + -ia -y ³

Example Sentences

Hundreds of people showed up for a midweek vigil at St. Philip’s in the Hills Episcopal Church, where some of the family worships, a few days after Guthrie disappeared.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ahead of the vigil, Carney and other leaders met with families of the victims and first responders.

From BBC

Family members have been holding vigils outside the prisons for weeks.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Schools should be safe," Gigi Rejano, who works at a local restaurant, told AFP at the vigil, calling for the entrance of the school building to be guarded from now on.

From Barron's

The people of the Kohlrabi Court tended to their sleeping king and held a silent vigil as they processed their defeat.

From Literature

Related Words

• observance
• patrol