votive

[ voh-tiv ]

/ ˈvoʊ tɪv /

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adjective

offered, given, dedicated, etc., in accordance with a vow: a votive offering.

performed, undertaken, etc., in consequence of a vow.

of the nature of or expressive of a wish or desire.

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Origin of votive

1585–95; <Latin vōtīvus, equivalent to vōt(um) a vow + -īvus-ive

OTHER WORDS FROM votive

vo·tive·ly, adverbvo·tive·ness, noun

Words nearby votive

vote with one's feet, voting machine, voting paper, Voting Rights Act, Voting Rights Act of 1965, votive, votive Mass, votress, Votyak, vou., vouch

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use votive in a sentence

In the dining room, that means the votives are oyster shells filled with wax.
Oyster Oyster, meatless and marvelous, has become one of D.C.’s best restaurants|Tom Sietsema|September 10, 2021|Washington Post
On the path leading to the building’s front door, someone has arranged alternating pairs of small votive candles and veladoras—taller candles in glass jars with images of Jesus on their sides.
For Asians Living in the Shadow of the Atlanta Killings, Anger and 'Just This Constant Fear'|Janell Ross/Atlanta|March 19, 2021|Time
You can now find her hooded image on cars, necklaces, votive candles, tattoos, and altars across Mexico and the United States.
America’s Fastest Growing Death Holiday Is From Mexico|Michael Schulson|November 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The image registers, simultaneously, as both very crude and utterly credible, like a votive offering to our technological age.
Candle in the (Digital) Wind|Blake Gopnik|January 7, 2013|DAILY BEAST

A woman is crouching, trying to get a red votive candle lit.
My Visit To Hell|Christopher Buckley|January 30, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Emperor Ferdinand also visited it and left, as a votive offering, his gold pectoral chain on the altar.
Mary, Help of Christians|Various
In the suburb is the celebrated temple Asclepieium, full of votive offerings, among which is the Antigonus of Apelles.
The Geography of Strabo, Volume III (of 3)|Strabo
They brought them wreaths of flowers and other votive offerings.
Margaret of Anjou|Jacob Abbott.
She was on her knees, the mellow points of the votive candles lighting her uplifted face in a glow of serene radiance.
The Wasted Generation|Owen Johnson
On some votive stones the characters were red, cut out in round pieces of granite with a white underlayer.
Trans-Himalaya, Vol. 2 (of 2)|Sven Hedin

British Dictionary definitions for votive

votive

/ (ˈvəʊtɪv) /

adjective

offered, given, undertaken, performed or dedicated in fulfilment of or in accordance with a vow

RC Church optional; not prescribed; having the nature of a voluntary offeringa votive Mass; a votive candle

Derived forms of votive

votively, adverbvotiveness, noun

Word Origin for votive

C16: from Latin vōtīvus promised by a vow, from vōtum a vow

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012