rosary

/ˈroʊzəri/

/ˈrʌʊzəri/

Other forms: rosaries

For Catholics, the rosary is a series of prayers or the name of the prayer beads used while praying. The word rosary can also refer to a set of beads for counting prayers in other religions.

When it refers to the prayer, Rosary is usually capitalized (like the Lord's Prayer or Hail Mary). The full Rosary includes many repetitions of specific prayers, and the rosary beads are used to count them. As well as being spiritually significant, rosaries are beautiful, with beads made of wood, silver, gold, or semi-precious stones. Rosary comes from rosaire, "rose garden" in Middle French — think of the rosary as a "garden of prayers."

Definitions of rosary

1. noun

   a series of devotional prayers recited by Roman Catholics and often counted using a string of beads
   type of:

   orison, petition, prayer

   reverent petition to a deity
2. noun

   a string of beads used in counting prayers (especially by Catholics)
   synonyms: prayer beads

   type of:

   beads, string of beads

   several beads threaded together on a string