rosary

[ roh-zuh-ree ]

noun

, plural ro·sa·ries.

1. Roman Catholic Church.
   1. none the rosary or the Rosary, a series of prayers, usually consisting of 15 sets of 10 Ave Marias, each set of 10 being preceded by a Paternoster and followed by a Gloria Patri, and each including a prayer that recalls one of the mysteries or events in the life of Christ or the Virgin Mary:

      All through that crisis, I never stopped praying the rosary and other devotions dear to my heart.

      He learned to say the Rosary as a kid going to Catholic school, and never lost the habit.

   2. a string of beads used for counting these prayers during their recitation:

      As a memento of my visit to the basilica, I bought a lovely sandalwood rosary.

   3. a similar string of beads consisting of five sets of 10.
2. in various non–Roman Catholic faith traditions, a string of beads used in praying, especially to count recited prayers:

   The auspicious number 108 represents the number of beads in a Buddhist rosary.

   One of the beauties of the Anglican rosary is the ability to use it with your own prayers according to your preferences, needs, or the liturgical season.

3. a rose garden or a bed of roses:

   The rosebushes in the rosary are covered with burlap to protect the buds from late spring frost.

rosary

/ ˈrəʊzərɪ /

noun

1. RC Church
   1. a series of prayers counted on a string of beads, usually consisting of five or 15 decades of Aves, each decade beginning with a Paternoster and ending with a Gloria
   2. a string of 55 or 165 beads used to count these prayers as they are recited
2. (in other religions) a similar string of beads used in praying
3. a bed or garden of roses
4. an archaic word for garland

rosary

1. A set of prayers common in the Roman Catholic Church , said during meditation on events in the lives of Jesus and of Mary, the mother of Jesus . A rosary is also the string of beads that the worshiper uses to count the prayers.

Word History and Origins

Origin of rosary¹

First recorded in 1350–1400, for an earlier sense; 1400–50 rosary fordef 3; 1540–50 rosary fordef 1; Middle English rosarie, from Medieval Latin rosārium, in all current senses (in Latin: “rose garden”); equivalent to rose ¹ + -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of rosary¹

C14: from Latin rosārium rose garden, from rosārius of roses, from rosa rose ¹

Example Sentences

“We light candles, we break out the rosary and we watch.”

From Los Angeles Times

When I arrive to report for BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, there are two men flanking the gates of the clinic holding rosary beads and carrying leaflets.

From BBC

They walked down a hill toward the border wall to pick up water, socks and rosaries.

From Los Angeles Times

She was found dead in bed in her Cookstown home on 19 June with her rosary beads in her hands.

From BBC

I’ve seen patients who’ve made the very conscious decision to end their pregnancy make the sign of the cross or grasp a rosary as they drift off under anesthesia.

From Salon