prayer
English · Thesaurus
AI In plain words
Writing a short explanation…
Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
prayer¹
- /pɹɛə/ UK
- /pɹɛɚ/ US
- /ˈpɹɛɹ/ US
- /ˈpɹeɪ.ɚ/ US
- /ˈpɾe.jə(ɾ)/ South Asia
Rhymes with -ɛə(ɹ), -eɪə(ɹ)
Where it comes from
From Middle English preiere, from Old French preiere, from Early Medieval Latin precāria, derived from Latin precem. Displaced native Old English ġebed (whence modern English bead).
noun prayers
- A practice of communicating with one's God, or with some spiritual entity. Through prayer I ask for God's guidance.
- An act of praying. Then everybody once more knelt, and soon the blessing was pronounced. The choir and the clergy trooped out slowly, […], down the nave to the western door. […] At a seemingly immense distance the surpliced group stopped to say the last prayer.
- The specific words or methods used for praying. Christians recite the Lord's Prayer.
- A meeting held for the express purpose of praying. Grandpa never misses a chance to go to prayer.
- A request; a petition. This, your honor, is my prayer; that all here be set free.
- The remotest hope or chance. That team doesn't have a prayer of winning the championship.
prayer²
- /ˈpɹeɪə(ɹ)/ UK
- /ˈpɹeɪəɹ/ US
Rhymes with -eɪə(ɹ)
Where it comes from
pray + -er.
noun prayers
- One who prays. If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar / A hope-er^([sic]), a pray-er^([sic]), a magic bean buyer…
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: orison, communion, supplication, petition, entreaty, supplicant, appeal, pray, praying, ave, priest, worship, material, kindly, salat, grace
Translations
Every language
noun practice of communicating with one's God
| Español | oración, rezo, plegaria |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 기도 gido, 빔 bim |
| 日本語 | 祈り inori, 祈祷 kitō |
| 中文 | 祈禱 /祈祷 qídǎo |
| हिन्दी | प्रार्थना prārthanā, अर्चना arcanā, उपासना upāsnā, वंदना vandnā, नमाज़ namāz, दुआ duā |
| Kiswahili | swala |
| Português | oração, prece, reza |
| Français | prière |
| Deutsch | Gebet |
| Italiano | preghiera, orazione, prece |
| Ελληνικά | προσευχή prosefchí |
| Română | rugăciune |
| Русский | моли́тва molítva, нама́з namáz |
| Tiếng Việt | kinh cầu nguyện, kinh nguyện, ý nguyện |
| العربية | صَلَاة ṣalāh, دُعَاء duʕāʔ |
| עברית | תפילה \ תְּפִלָּה t'filá |
noun the act of praying
| Español | rezo |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 祈り inori |
| हिन्दी | वंदना vandnā |
| Kiswahili | swali |
| Português | oração, reza |
| Deutsch | Gebet |
| Ελληνικά | προσευχή prosefchí |
| Română | rugăciune |
| Русский | моли́тва molítva |
| العربية | صَلَاة ṣalāh |
noun the specific words or methods used for praying
| Español | oración, rezo, preces |
|---|---|
| Kiswahili | swala, sala |
| Português | oração, reza |
| Français | prière |
| Deutsch | Gebet |
| Ελληνικά | προσευχή prosefchí |
| Русский | моли́тва molítva |
| العربية | صَلَاة ṣalāh |
noun a meeting held for the express purpose of praying
| Português | missa, culto |
|---|---|
| Français | prières |
| Deutsch | Gottesdienst |
| Ελληνικά | προσευχή prosefchí, συμπροσευχή symprosefchí |
| Română | serviciu divin, slujbă religioasă |
| Русский | моле́бен molében |
Talk about this word "prayer." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/prayer. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. prayer. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/prayer "prayer." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/prayer.Cite this
@misc{prayer_2026,
title = {prayer},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/prayer},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}