breviary
pronunciation
How to pronounce breviary in British English:
UK [ˈbri:viəri]
How to pronounce breviary in American English:
US [ˈbrivieri]
-
- Noun:
- (Roman Catholic Church) a book of prayers to be recited daily certain priests and members of religious orders
Word Origin
- breviary
- breviary: see brief
- breviary (n.)
- 1540s, "brief statement;" sense of "short prayer book used by Catholic priests" is from 1610s, from Latin breviarium "summary," noun use of neuter of adjective breviarius "abridged," from breviare "to shorten, abbreviate," from brevis "short" (see brief (adj.)).
Example
- 1. The celebrated breviary remained in the family , and was in the count 's possession .
- 2. She had been given a breviary , a book , about canonical hours for something called the divine office .
- 3. All these books should be studied , for they form the constituent elements which later combined into the breviary .
- 4. With regard to the divine office especially , it has the same general principles in east and west from a very early age ( see breviary ) .