Orisons

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A form of prayer or supplication often directed toward a deity or spiritual figure
2. The act of invoking divine assistance through heartfelt requests or entreaties ; a petition for spiritual guidance or help
3. Expressions of devotion or requests made in a sacred context, typically seeking favor or mercy from a higher power

Etymology: "Orisons" is the plural of "orison," and the singular is the older form, arriving in English from Old French "oraisun" and Anglo-Norman "oreison," both of which trace back to Latin "ōrātiō," meaning "discourse" or "prayer." That same Latin root gave English "oration," so the solemn word for a prayer and the word for a formal public speech are close cousins. The Latin noun originally meant something spoken or argued, and the sense of addressing a higher power grew out of that general idea of speaking formally. The Middle English form "orisoun" shows the word had been absorbed into English by the medieval period, when it was used for devotional prayers. Its plural, "orisons," has a particular feel in English: it is the form most readers meet in older religious writing and in poetry, where it refers to prayers in the plural, often spoken quietly and devoutly.

Synonyms: prayers, supplications, invocations, pleas, entreaties