litany
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litany
ceremonial form of prayer; prolonged or tedious account; list; enumeration
Not to be confused with:
liturgy – a form of public worship; ritual; a particular arrangement of religious services
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
lit·a·ny
(lĭt′n-ē)n. pl. lit·a·nies
1. Christianity A liturgical prayer consisting of a series of petitions recited by a leader alternating with fixed responses by the congregation.
2. A repetitive recital, series, or list: "the litany of layoffs in recent months by corporate giants" (Sylvia Nasar).
[Middle English letanie, from Old French, from Medieval Latin letanīa, from Late Latin litanīa, from Late Greek litaneia, from Greek, entreaty, from litaneuein, to entreat, from litanos, entreating, from litē, supplication.]
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.
litany
(ˈlɪtənɪ)n, pl -nies
1. (Ecclesiastical Terms) Christianity
a. a form of prayer consisting of a series of invocations, each followed by an unvarying response
b. the Litany the general supplication in this form included in the Book of Common Prayer
2. any long or tedious speech or recital
[C13: via Old French from Medieval Latin litanīa from Late Greek litaneia prayer, ultimately from Greek litē entreaty]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
lit•a•ny
(ˈlɪt n i)n., pl. -nies.
1. a ceremonial or liturgical form of prayer consisting of a series of invocations or supplications with responses.
2. a prolonged or tedious account: a whole litany of complaints.
[before 900; Middle English letanie, Old English letanīa < Medieval Latin, Late Latin litanīa < Late Greek litaneía litany, Greek: entreaty, n. derivative of litaínein or litaneúein to pray]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Noun | 1. | litany - any long and tedious address or recital; "the patient recited a litany of complaints"; "a litany of failures" |
| 2. | Litany - a prayer consisting of a series of invocations by the priest with responses from the congregation Book of Common Prayer - the Anglican service book of the Church of England; has had several revisions since the Reformation and is widely admired for the dignity and beauty of its language |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
litany
noun
1. recital, list, tale, catalogue, account, repetition, refrain, recitation, enumeration She listened to the litany of complaints against her client.
2. prayer, petition, invocation, supplication, set words She recited a litany in an unknown tongue.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
litany
nounThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
litany
n → Litanei f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995