bre·vi·ar·y
(brē′vē-ĕr′ē, brĕv′ē-)n. pl. bre·vi·ar·ies Ecclesiastical A book containing the hymns, offices, and prayers for the canonical hours.
[Middle English breviarie, from Old French breviaire, from Medieval Latin breviārium, from Latin, summary, from brevis, short; see brief.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
breviary
(ˈbriːvjərɪ) n,
pl -ries1. (Roman Catholic Church) RC Church a book of psalms, hymns, prayers, etc, to be recited daily by clerics in major orders and certain members of religious orders as part of the divine office
2. (Eastern Church (Greek & Russian Orthodox)) a similar book in the Orthodox Church
[C16: from Latin breviārium an abridged version, from breviāre to shorten, from brevis short]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
bre•vi•ar•y
(ˈbri viˌɛr i, ˈbrɛv i-)
n., pl. -ar•ies. a book containing the psalms, readings, and prayers to be recited in the divine office.
[1540–50; < Latin
breviārium an abridgment =
brevi(s) short +
-ārium -ary]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
breviary
Catholicism. a book containing the prayers, lessons, etc., needed by a priest for the reading of his daily office.
See also: Books
a book containing the prayers, lessons, etc., needed by a priest for the reading of his daily office.
See also: Catholicism-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.