prayer

B1 Topic:Religion & Belief

US /ˈpɹeɪ.ɚ/ UK /pɹɛə/ See IPA manual

Freq #3265

Meanings

1

noun
Words spoken to a god to give thanks or ask for help.

She said a quiet prayer before the meal.
2

noun
The act or practice of speaking to a god.

The faithful knelt down in prayer.
3

noun
A very small chance or hope of success.

That team doesn't have a prayer of winning the championship.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · words spoken to a god to... supplication

More bead orisonprecation

Word family

Forms prayers

Derived forms antiprayerprayer-mongerprayerfulprayerhouseprayerishprayerlessprayerlikeprayersomeprayerwisepreprayer

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

prayer shawl
a fringed shawl worn during Jewish prayer

Noun + noun

Proverbs (1)

See all

Courage is fear that has said its prayers

Etymology

From Middle English preiere, from Old French preiere, from Early Medieval Latin precāria, derived from Latin precem. Displaced native Old English ġebed (whence modern English bead).

*preḱ- Proto-Indo-European preiere Middle English precāria la-eme prex Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Religion & Belief

External links

# prayer

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈpɹeɪ.ɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /pɹɛə/
**Frequency rank:** 3265

## Meanings
1. Words spoken to a god to give thanks or ask for help.
2. The act or practice of speaking to a god.
3. A very small chance or hope of success.

## Examples
- She said a quiet prayer before the meal.
- The faithful knelt down in prayer.
- That team doesn't have a prayer of winning the championship.

## Synonyms
- bead
- orison
- precation

## Derived Forms
- antiprayer
- prayer-monger
- prayerful
- prayerhouse
- prayerish
- prayerless
- prayerlike
- prayersome
- prayerwise
- preprayer

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *preḱ-
- Root: preiere
- Root: precāria
- Root: prex

## Etymology
From Middle English preiere, from Old French preiere, from Early Medieval Latin precāria, derived from Latin precem. Displaced native Old English ġebed (whence modern English bead).

## AI Etymology
Prayer comes from Middle English preiere, from Old French preiere, from Early Medieval Latin precāria, derived from Latin precem. Displaced native Old English ġebed (whence modern English bead). The historical chain includes *preḱ- (Proto-Indo-European), preiere (Middle English), preiere (Old French), precāria (la-eme), prex (Latin). In present-day English it covers words spoken to a god to give thanks or ask for help, the act or practice of speaking to a god, and a very small chance or hope of success. The wider family includes derived forms such as antiprayer, prayer-monger, prayerful, prayerhouse, prayerish.

## Topics
- Religion & Belief

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