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rosaire

rosary

noun roh-ZEHR Rare
People & Society Religion

Origin: From Latin 'rosarium' (rose garden), referring to meditations offered like roses to Mary.

Usage Note

Rosaire denotes the Catholic prayer sequence of fifteen decades, each focused on a mystery of the faith, as well as the string of beads used to count them. Dire son rosaire ('to say one's rosary') is the standard phrase. It is distinct from chapelet, which refers to a single decade or the beads more generally.

Examples

"La vieille dame égrène son rosaire chaque soir."

Natural Translation

The old woman counts her rosary beads each evening.

Literal Translation

The old woman fingers through her rosary each evening.

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