rosary

noun

ro·​sa·​ry ˈrō-zə-rē 

ˈrōz-rē

plural rosaries

1

often capitalized : a Roman Catholic devotion consisting of meditation on usually five sacred mysteries during recitation of five decades of Hail Marys of which each begins with an Our Father and ends with a Gloria Patri

2

: a string of beads used in counting prayers especially of the Roman Catholic rosary

Examples of rosary in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When most people think of the Catholic Church, things like rosaries, holy water, and crucifixes usually come to mind. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 20 Nov. 2024

Dodgers fans turn to lucky jerseys, sweaters, rosaries and prayer to help team win the title. —Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2024

Hardy herbs like sage, rosary, cilantro and thyme can survive Denver winters and thrive in containers indoors, according to local gardening pros. —Brianna Crane, Axios, 28 Sep. 2024

Non-Muslim signs of religious devotion, from rosaries to Bibles, are banned. —Victor Gaetan, Foreign Affairs, 2 June 2017

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "rose garden, rosebush," borrowed from Medieval Latin rosārium "rose garden, rosebush, book of devotions," going back to Latin, "rose bed, rose garden," from rosa rose entry 2 + -ārium -ary entry 1

First Known Use

1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing rosary

• rosary pea

Kids Definition

rosary

noun

ro·​sa·​ry ˈrōz-(ə-)rē 

plural rosaries

1

often capitalized : a Roman Catholic devotion consisting of meditation on usually five sacred mysteries during recitation of five decades of Hail Marys of which each begins with an Our Father and ends with a Gloria Patri

2

: a string of beads used in counting prayers especially of the Roman Catholic rosary

Etymology

from Latin rosarium "rosary prayers, rosary beads," from earlier rosarium "rose garden," derived from rosa "rose"

Word Origin

Rosary is ultimately borrowed from Latin rosarium, a derivative of rosa, "rose." In classical Latin rosarium referred to a bed or garden of roses. In the Middle Ages rose gardens became particularly associated with Mary, and artists would give a rose-garden setting to the Annunciation, the announcement made to Mary by an angel that she would be the Messiah's mother. Rosarium could also refer to a rose garland or wreath for the head that Mary made or wore in various legends. When sequences of prayers to the Virgin became a popular devotion in the 1400s, it is not surprising that Latin rosarium was applied to them. Later the word was also applied to the strings of beads used in reciting the rosary prayers.

Medical Definition

rosary

noun

ro·​sa·​ry ˈrōz-(ə-)rē 

plural rosaries

: beading