Dictionary

prayer beads en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

An interesting example of a compound that is diachronically pleonastic, although not synchronically so; the head by itself originally meant the relevant meaning (see bead), but as the head's meaning broadened by extension, the compound then became necessary to specify the relevant meaning by narrowing down.

Meanings

1. (plural, plural-normally) A string of beads used by members of various religions to count prayers, chants, or devotions.
   • Suits didn't wear suits any more—they wore Tibetan prayer beads coiled around their wrists. But they slithered in a suitlike way. 2020, Emily Segal, Mercury Retrograde, New York: Deluge Books, →ISBN:

Forms

Relateds

prayer book

Translations (67)

sl rožni venec (string of beads — see also rosary) · mk бројаница (string of beads — see also rosary) · el ροζάριο (string of beads — see also rosary) · hi जपनी (string of beads — see also rosary) · sh бројаница (string of beads — see also rosary) · hy տերողորմյա (string of beads — see also rosary) · ro mătănii (string of beads — see also rosary) · bn তসবীহ (string of beads — see also rosary) · sh brojanica (string of beads — see also rosary) · cmn 念珠 (string of beads — see also rosary) · pl sznur modlitewny (string of beads — see also rosary) · ja 数珠 (string of beads — see also rosary) · be ружа́нец (string of beads — see also rosary) · sce tesibihha (string of beads — see also rosary) · fa رزاری (string of beads — see also rosary) · ar مِسْبَحَة (string of beads — see also rosary) · et palvehelmed (string of beads — see also rosary) · th ปัด (string of beads — see also rosary) · ru чётки (string of beads — see also rosary) · hy համրիչ (string of beads — see also rosary) · it rosario (string of beads — see also rosary) · fa تسبیح (string of beads — see also rosary) · sk ruženec (string of beads — see also rosary) · fr chapelet (string of beads — see also rosary) · el ροδάριο (string of beads — see also rosary) · nl rozenkrans (string of beads — see also rosary) · ja 念珠 (string of beads — see also rosary) · pt terço (string of beads — see also rosary) · hy թզբեխ (string of beads — see also rosary) · hy թազբեհ (string of beads — see also rosary) · hi तसबीह (string of beads — see also rosary) · vi tràng hạt (string of beads — see also rosary) · ur تسبیح (string of beads — see also rosary) · cmn 佛珠 (string of beads — see also rosary) · pt rosário (string of beads — see also rosary) · ko 묵주 (string of beads — see also rosary) · ba тиҫбе (string of beads — see also rosary) · fi rukousnauha (string of beads — see also rosary) · ca rosari (string of beads — see also rosary) · sh tespih (string of beads — see also rosary) · tr tespih (string of beads — see also rosary) · pl różaniec (string of beads — see also rosary) · hi माला (string of beads — see also rosary) · ar سُبْحَة (string of beads — see also rosary) · ko 염주 (string of beads — see also rosary) · ro rozariu (string of beads — see also rosary) · sh теспих (string of beads — see also rosary) · bg броени́ца (string of beads — see also rosary) · xal эркн (string of beads — see also rosary) · sh krȕnica (string of beads — see also rosary) · az təsbeh (string of beads — see also rosary) · de Gebetskette (string of beads — see also rosary) · ba тәсбих (string of beads — see also rosary) · sa माला (string of beads — see also rosary) · nl gebedssnoer (string of beads — see also rosary) · es rosario (string of beads — see also rosary) · sh круница (string of beads — see also rosary) · cs růženec (string of beads — see also rosary) · az тәсбеһ (string of beads — see also rosary) · mn эрхи (string of beads — see also rosary) · tl rosaryo (string of beads — see also rosary) · th ประคำ (string of beads — see also rosary) · fa بازیج (string of beads — see also rosary) · ha càr̃bī (string of beads — see also rosary) · ga paidrín (string of beads — see also rosary) · de Gebetsschnur (string of beads — see also rosary) · uk чо́тки (string of beads — see also rosary)