prayer

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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

  1. uncountable A practice of communicating with one's God, or with some spiritual entity. Through prayer I ask for God's guidance.
  2. countable 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.
  3. countable, uncountable The specific words or methods used for praying. Christians recite the Lord's Prayer.
  4. countable, uncountable A meeting held for the express purpose of praying. Grandpa never misses a chance to go to prayer.
  5. countable A request; a petition. This, your honor, is my prayer; that all here be set free.
  6. countable, singular, uncountable, in negative constructions The remotest hope or chance. That team doesn't have a prayer of winning the championship.

Similar: orison, precation, bead

prayer²

  • /ˈpɹeɪə(ɹ)/ UK
  • /ˈpɹeɪəɹ/ US

Rhymes with -eɪə(ɹ)

Where it comes from

pray + -er.

noun prayers

  1. 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

noun

Similar: orison, precation, bead

Translations

Every language

noun practice of communicating with one's God

Españoloración, rezo, plegaria
한국어기도 gido, 빔 bim
日本語祈り inori, 祈祷 kitō
中文祈禱 /祈祷 qídǎo
हिन्दीप्रार्थना prārthanā, अर्चना arcanā, उपासना upāsnā, वंदना vandnā, नमाज़ namāz, दुआ duā
Kiswahiliswala
Portuguêsoração, prece, reza
Françaisprière
DeutschGebet
Italianopreghiera, orazione, prece
Ελληνικάπροσευχή prosefchí
Românărugăciune
Русскиймоли́тва molítva, нама́з namáz
Tiếng Việtkinh cầu nguyện, kinh nguyện, ý nguyện
العربيةصَلَاة ṣalāh, دُعَاء duʕāʔ
עבריתתפילה \ תְּפִלָּה t'filá

noun the act of praying

Españolrezo
日本語祈り inori
हिन्दीवंदना vandnā
Kiswahiliswali
Portuguêsoração, reza
DeutschGebet
Ελληνικάπροσευχή prosefchí
Românărugăciune
Русскиймоли́тва molítva
العربيةصَلَاة ṣalāh

noun the specific words or methods used for praying

Españoloración, rezo, preces
Kiswahiliswala, sala
Portuguêsoração, reza
Françaisprière
DeutschGebet
Ελληνικάπροσευχή prosefchí
Русскиймоли́тва molítva
العربيةصَلَاة ṣalāh

noun a meeting held for the express purpose of praying

Portuguêsmissa, culto
Françaisprières
DeutschGottesdienst
Ελληνικάπροσευχή prosefchí, συμπροσευχή symprosefchí
Românăserviciu divin, slujbă religioasă
Русскиймоле́бен molében

noun a request; a petition

हिन्दीप्रार्थना prārthanā
Portuguêspetição, prece
Françaisprière
Ελληνικάπροσευχή prosefchí, ικεσία ikesía
Русскиймольба́ molʹbá

noun one who prays

Españolorador, oradora, orante, rezador
Portuguêsorador, oradora, rezador, rezadora
DeutschBeter, Beterin
Italianopregatore, pregatrice
Ελληνικάπροσευχόμενος prosefchómenos
العربيةمُصَلٍّ muṣallin

Talk about this word

Cite this
MLA

"prayer." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/prayer. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

prayer. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/prayer

Chicago

"prayer." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/prayer.

BibTeX
@misc{prayer_2026,
  title = {prayer},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/prayer},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}