prayer beads
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prayer beads
Where it comes from
An interesting example of a compound that is diachronically pleonastic, although not synchronically so; the head by itself originally meant the relevant meaning (see bead), but as the head's meaning broadened by extension, the compound then became necessary to specify the relevant meaning by narrowing down.
noun prayer bead
- A string of beads used by members of various religions to count prayers, chants, or devotions. Suits didn't wear suits any more—they wore Tibetan prayer beads coiled around their wrists. But they slithered in a suitlike way.
Translations
Every language
noun string of beads — see also rosary
| Español | rosario |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 묵주 mukju, 염주 yeomju |
| 日本語 | 念珠 nenju, 数珠 juzu |
| 中文 | 念珠 niànzhū, 佛珠 fózhū |
| हिन्दी | माला mālā, तसबीह tasbīh, जपनी japnī |
| Português | terço, rosário |
| Français | chapelet |
| Deutsch | Gebetskette, Gebetsschnur |
| Italiano | rosario |
| Ελληνικά | ροζάριο rozário, ροδάριο rodário |
| Română | mătănii, rozariu |
| Русский | чётки čótki |
| Tiếng Việt | tràng hạt |
| العربية | مِسْبَحَة misbaḥa, سُبْحَة subḥa |
Talk about this word "prayer beads." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/prayer%20beads. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. prayer beads. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/prayer%20beads "prayer beads." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/prayer%20beads.Cite this
@misc{prayer_beads_2026,
title = {prayer beads},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/prayer%20beads},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
