rosary

Meaning

1. Prayer beads, a string of beads used to keep track of repetitions in prayer, particularly of the Roman Catholic Marian prayer "Hail Mary" (Ave Maria).
2. A Roman Catholic devotion involving the repetition of a series of Marian prayers, usually 5, 15, or 20 decades of "Hail Marys", each decade beginning with "Our Father" and ending with "Glory Be to the Father", but sometimes including other Roman Catholic, Anglican, or Lutheran prayers.
3. (broadly) A series or collection of thoughts, literary pieces, etc. intended for similar contemplation.
4. (historical) A 13th-century coin minted in Europe as a counterfeit debased form of the sterling silver penny of Edward I, at first accepted as a halfpenny and then outlawed.
5. A rose garden.

Synonyms

prayer beads

📿

string of beads

beads

rose garden

paternoster

rosarium

rose-garden

rosary beads

bead-roll

bead

chapelt

bed of roses

chaplet

collar

crosses

necklace

pearl necklace

Translations

rosario

Rosenkranz

rosario

rosaire

chapelet

rozenkrans

rosari

bidsnoer

rosarium

rist

ροζάριο

rosário

reeks

مسبحة

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈɹoʊzəɹi/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: rosarie

In summary

From Middle English rosarie, from Latin rosārium, here in its sense as a garland of roses. The coin usage referred to the laurel wreath appearing on the obverse bust, as opposed to the bare head on the pollard. Doublet of Rosario and rosarium.