breviary

views updated May 14 2018

bre·vi·ar·y / ˈbrēvēˌerē; ˈbrev-/ • n. (pl. -ar·ies) a book containing the service for each day, to be recited by those in orders in the Roman Catholic Church.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

breviary

views updated May 14 2018

breviary a book containing the service for each day, to be recited by those in orders in the Roman Catholic Church. The word is recorded from late Middle English (when it also denoted an abridged version of the psalms), and comes from Latin breviarium ‘summary, abridgement’, ultimately from brevis ‘short, brief’.

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable ELIZABETH KNOWLES

breviary

views updated May 23 2018

breviary †epitome XVI; (eccl.) book containing the Divine Office for the year XV. — L. breviārium summary, abridgement. f. breviāre abridge, ABBREVIATE.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

Breviary

views updated Jun 27 2018

Breviary. The book containing the divine office of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions JOHN BOWKER

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