rosary

noun
ro·​sa·​ry | \ ˈrō-zə-rē How to pronounce rosary (audio) , ˈrōz-rē\
plural rosaries

Definition of rosary

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

About a mile away, the doors of St. Mary Parish were open for a community prayer vigil and rosary. Los Angeles Times, "At Gilroy Garlic Festival vigils, residents pray for peace," 29 July 2019 Pilgrims have left notes, candles, religious cards, photos, rosaries, and fake flowers. Frances Mayes, National Geographic, "Discover Italy’s most delicious secret," 11 July 2019 Matteo Salvini, leader of the Italian party the League, kisses a rosary during a demonstration in Milan on May 18. Matthew Goodwin, WSJ, "Europe’s Populists Are Here to Stay," 14 June 2019 The visitation was followed by recitation of the rosary and a Mass at noon. Ann Maloney, nola.com, "New Orleans bids final farewell to Leah Chase with funeral Mass, second-lines," 10 June 2019 From the macabre details (teddy bears, death masks, rosary chokers) to the streetwear-ready ensembles (dirty sneakers and glamorous overcoats), each of the looks was on theme. Sarah Spellings, The Cut, "9 References to Death in Gucci’s Cruise Show," 31 May 2018 Lucky charm: The black rosary with a silver cross the pope gave my father and other soldiers who liberated Rome. Marc Myers, WSJ, "After Escaping London’s Blitz as a Child, Michael Caine Is Still Hiding Out in the Country," 13 Feb. 2019 Several of Italy’s high-profile church leaders have criticized Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, the leader of the anti-immigration League, for brandishing the Bible and a rosary at political events. Drew Hinshaw, WSJ, "‘Hands Off!’; Clergy Balk as European Politicians Brandish the Crucifix," 9 Aug. 2018 Mourners had left flowers and candles wrapped in rosaries. Jason Horowitz, New York Times, "This Italian Town Once Welcomed Migrants. Now, It’s a Symbol for Right-Wing Politics," 7 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rosary.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of rosary

1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for rosary

Medieval Latin rosarium, from Latin, rose garden, from neuter of rosarius of roses, from rosa rose

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for rosary

rosary

noun

English Language Learners Definition of rosary

: a string of beads that are used by Roman Catholics for counting prayers
: a set of Roman Catholic prayers that are repeated in a specific order

rosary

noun
ro·​sa·​ry | \ ˈrō-zə-rē How to pronounce rosary (audio) \
plural rosaries

Kids Definition of rosary

: a string of beads used in counting prayers

rosary

noun
ro·​sa·​ry | \ ˈrōz-(ə-)rē How to pronounce rosary (audio) \
plural rosaries

Medical Definition of rosary

Keep scrolling for more