rosary

(rō′zər ē)

R.C.Ch.
1. a string of five (sometimes fifteen) sets of beads (one large bead and ten small beads in each set), used to count prayers as they are recited: at each large bead an Our Father is said; at each small one, a Hail Mary; at the end of each set, the lesser doxology
2. this group of prayers
any string of beads used in praying

Origin: ME rosarie < L rosarium, rose garden (in ML, rosary, garland of roses) < neut. of rosarius, of roses < rosa, rose

See rosary in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. ro·sa·ries

Roman Catholic Church
a. A form of devotion to the Virgin Mary, chiefly consisting of three sets of five decades each of the Hail Mary, each decade preceded by the Lord's Prayer and ending with a doxology.
b. One of these sets of decades.
c. A string of beads of 5 or 15 decades on which these prayers are counted.
Similar beads used by other religious groups.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English, rose garden

Origin: , from Medieval Latin rosārium, rose garden, rosary

Origin: , from Latin, rose garden

Origin: , from neuter of rosārius, of roses

Origin: , from rosa, rose

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