prayer beads

Meaning

A string of beads used by members of various religions to count prayers, chants, or devotions.

Synonyms

rosary

say one’s beads

beads

Translations

chapelet

rosario

rosário

égrener

🐚

rosario

rosari

مِسْبَحَة

terço

rozenkrans

Rosenkranz

rosaire

tespih

Etymology

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.