orisons

Meanings

1. 1nounusually pluralliteraryarchaic

   Prayers, especially the words a person says when praying quietly and privately.

   Grammar: Used mainly in the plural; the singular orison exists but is rare and sounds even more old-fashioned.

   Patterns

   • say one's orisons
   • one's morning orisons
   • murmur orisons

   She knelt by the window and said her orisons before dawn.

   The old poem describes a traveler whispering his orisons on a dark road.

   He rose early and murmured his orisons while the house was still asleep.

2. 2nouncountableliteraryarchaic

   A single prayer or a set form of words used in worship.

   Grammar: The singular orison is countable and very rare outside poetry or historical writing.

   Patterns

   • an orison to someone
   • recite an orison

   The choir sang an ancient orison to the Virgin.

   Each monk offered a short orison before the meal.

Word forms

Common combinations

say one's orisons

The nuns said their orisons in the chapel at first light.

morning orisons

His morning orisons took only a few minutes.

evening orisons

The family gathered for evening orisons before bed.

murmur one's orisons

She murmured her orisons so softly that no one else could hear.

Synonyms and how they differ

prayers

The everyday word; use prayers in normal speech, and orisons only when you want an old or poetic tone.

devotions

Refers to religious acts of worship generally, often including prayer but also readings or hymns.

supplication

A formal, literary word for a humble request made in prayer, usually more urgent and specific than orisons.

Word family

orison noun

The singular form: one prayer.

Commonly confused: orisons or orison? orisons or horizon?

Practice

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