Worshippings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of showing reverence and adoration for a deity or divine figure
2. Engaging in practices and rituals that express honor and devotion towards a sacred entity
3. A communal or individual expression of faith and veneration, often involving prayers and ceremonies

Etymology: "Worshippings" is simply the plural of "worshipping," the present participle of "worship," so it is an inflected form rather than a separate word with its own history. The plural form is rare in ordinary use, appearing mainly when several distinct acts of worship or distinct systems of devotion are being contrasted. The base word "worship" comes from Old English "weorthscipe," meaning worth or worthiness, formed from "weorth" (worth) and the suffix "-scipe" (-ship, denoting state or condition). Over time the word narrowed from a general sense of honouring someone's worth to the specific religious sense of reverent devotion to a deity, and the "-ing" ending turns it into the participle that yields "worshipping" and, in plural, "worshippings."