rosary

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: ro=sar=y

CIDE DICTIONARY

rosary, n. [LL. rosarium a string of beads, L. rosarium a place planted with roses, rosa a rose: cf. F. rosaire. See Rose.].

•  A bed of roses, or place where roses grow.  Tennyson.  [1913 Webster]
•  A series of prayers (see Note below) arranged to be recited in order, on beads; also, a string of beads by which the prayers are counted.  [1913 Webster]

  " A rosary consists of fifteen decades. Each decade contains ten Ave Marias marked by small beads, preceded by a Paternoster, marked by a larger bead, and concluded by a Gloria Patri. Five decades make a chaplet, a third part of the rosary."  Bp. Fitzpatrick.  [1913 Webster]

  "His idolized book, and the whole rosary of his prayers."  [1913 Webster]
•  A chapelet; a garland; a series or collection, as of beautiful thoughts or of literary selections.  [1913 Webster]

  "Every day propound to yourself a rosary or chaplet of good works to present to God at night."  [1913 Webster]
•  A coin bearing the figure of a rose, fraudulently circulated in Ireland in the 13th century for a penny.  [1913 Webster]

Rosary shell (Zoöl.), any marine gastropod shell of the genus Monodonta. They are top-shaped, bright-colored and pearly.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

rosary, n. (pl. -ies)
1 RC Ch. a a form of devotion in which five (or fifteen) decades of Hail Marys are repeated, each decade preceded by an Our Father and followed by a Glory Be. b a string of 55 (or 165) beads for keeping count in this. c a book containing this devotion.
2 a similar form of bead-string used in other religions.
3 a rose-garden or rose-bed.

Etymology

ME f. L rosarium rose-garden, neut. of rosarius (as ROSE(1))

THESAURUS

rosary

Agnus Dei, Angelus, Ave, Ave Maria, Hail Mary, Holy Grail, Host, Kyrie Eleison, Paternoster, Pieta, Sanctus bell, Sangraal, aid prayer, appeal, ark, asperger, asperges, aspergillum, bambino, beadroll, beads, beseechment, bidding prayer, breviary, candle, censer, chaplet, ciborium, collect, communion, contemplation, cross, crucifix, cruet, devotions, entreaty, eucharistial, grace, holy cross, holy water, holy-water sprinkler, icon, impetration, imploration, incensory, intercession, invocation, litany, matzo, meditation, menorah, mezuzah, mikvah, monstrance, obsecration, obtestation, orison, osculatory, ostensorium, paschal candle, pax, petition, phylacteries, prayer, prayer shawl, prayer wheel, pyx, relics, rogation, rood, sacramental, sacred relics, sacring bell, shofar, silent prayer, suit, sukkah, supplication, tabernacle, tallith, thanks, thanksgiving, thurible, urceole, veronica, vigil light, votive candle

ROGET THESAURUS

rosary

Rite

N rite, ceremony, ritual, liturgy, ceremonial, ordinance, observance, function, duty, form, formulary, solemnity, sacrament, incantation, service, psalmody, ministration, preaching, preachment, predication, sermon, homily, lecture, discourse, pastoral, baptism, christening, chrism, circumcision, baptismal regeneration, font, confirmation, imposition of hands, laying on of hands, ordination, excommunication, Bar Mitzvah, Bas Mitzvah, Bris, Eucharist, Lord's supper, communion, the sacrament, the holy sacrament, celebration, high celebration, missa cantata, asperges, offertory, introit, consecration, consubstantiation, transubstantiation, real presence, elements, mass, high mass, low mass, dry mass, matrimony, burial, visitation of the sick, seven sacraments, impanation, subpanation, extreme unction, viaticum, invocation of saints, canonization, transfiguration, auricular confession, maceration, flagellation, sackcloth and ashes, penance, telling of beads, processional, thurification, incense, holy water, aspersion, relics, rosary, beads, reliquary, host, cross, rood, crucifix, pax, pyx, agnus Dei, censer, thurible, patera, eileton, Holy Grail, prayer machine, prayer wheel, Sangraal, urceus, ritualism, ceremonialism, sabbatism, sabbatarianism, ritualist, sabbatarian, holyday, feast, fast, Sabbath, Pentecost, Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Passion week, Holy week, Easter, Easter Sunday, Whitsuntide, agape, Ascension Day, Candlemas, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Holy Thursday, Lammas, Martinmas, Michaelmas, All SAint's DAy, All Souls' Day, Ramadan, Ramazan, Bairam Passover, Shabuoth, Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement, Rosh Hashana, New Year, Hanukkah, Chanukkah, Feast of Lights, Purim, Feast of lots, ritual, ritualistic, ceremonial, baptismal, eucharistical, paschal, what art thou, thou idol ceremony?.