grace

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) Charming, pleasing qualities.
2. (countable) A short prayer of thanks before or after a meal.
3. (countable) In the games of patience or solitaire: a special move that is normally against the rules.
4. (countable) A grace note.
5. (uncountable) Elegant movement; elegance of movement; balance or poise.
6. (uncountable) An allowance of time granted to a debtor during which he or she is free of at least part of his normal obligations towards the creditor.
7. (uncountable) Free and undeserved favour, especially of God; unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification, or for resisting sin.
8. (countable, uncountable) An act or decree of the governing body of an English university.
9. (archaic, countable, uncountable) Mercy, pardon.

Verb

1. (transitive) To adorn; to decorate; to embellish and dignify.
2. (transitive) To dignify or raise by an act of favour; to honour.
3. (transitive) To supply with heavenly grace.
4. (transitive) To add grace notes, cadenzas, etc., to.

Synonyms

mercy

elegance

beauty

favour

favor

kindness

charm

blessing

adorn

decorate

gracefulness

compassion

beautify

embellish

loveliness

refinement

ornament

deck

clemency

comeliness

pity

gracility

neatness

love

❤️

charity

garnish

benevolence

benignity

benignancy

reprieve

gift

🎁

sympathy

fairness

pardon

tidiness

bedeck

delicacy

brilliance

dignity

bounty

honour

indulgence

attraction

honor

graciousness

gratitude

affinity

grace of God

help

cuteness

Translations

grâce

grazia

gracia

Gnade

graça

Anmut

χάρη

Grazie

Gunst

Eleganz

élégance

charme

abbellire

gràcia

faveur

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɡɹeɪs/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: grace

Cognate with French: grâce

Cognate with Middle English: held

Cognate with Old English: held

Cognate with Middle English: este

Cognate with Old English: ēste

Cognate with Middle English: athmede

Cognate with Old English: ēadmēdu

Cognate with Middle English: are

Cognate with Old English: ār

In summary

From Middle English grace, from Old French grace (modern French grâce), from Latin grātia (“kindness, favour, esteem”), from grātus (“pleasing”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷerH- (“to praise, welcome”); compare grateful.
The word displaced the native Middle English held, hield (“grace”) (from Old English held, hyld (“grace”)), Middle English este (“grace, favour, pleasure”) (from Old English ēst (“grace, kindness, favour”)), Middle English athmede(n) (“grace”) (from Old English ēadmēdu (“grace”)), Middle English are, ore (“grace, mercy, honour”) (from Old English ār (“honour, grace, kindness, mercy”)).