Meanings
plural Agnus Deis
- ChristianityA liturgical chant recited as part of the Mass, beginning with those words, or the music to which it is set.First known use 10th c.
- CatholicismA bar of wax imprinted with a similar shape and blessed by the Pope.First known use 16th c.
The most common of these amulets was the agnus dei, a small wax cake, originally made out of paschal candles and blessed by the Pope, bearing the image of the lamb and flag.
1971, Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Folio Society, published 2012, page 281 more example
Matilda continued her incantations; at intervals she took various items from the basket, the nature and name of most of which were unknown to the friar: but among the few which he distinguished, he particularly observed three human fingers, and an agnus dei, which she broke in pieces.
1796, Matthew Lewis, The Monk, Folio Society, published 1985, page 194
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- LatinAgnus Deī“Lamb of God”
- EnglishAgnus Dei
Borrowed from Latin Agnus Deī (“Lamb of God”).
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan agnus-dei, agnus-dei
- agnus-deipart of the Mass; music to which it is set
- agnus-deimodel or picture of a lamb with a cross
Chinese Mandarin 天主羔羊, 上帝羔羊
- 天主羔羊 (Tiānzhǔ Gāoyáng)part of the Mass; music to which it is set
- 上帝羔羊 (Shàngdì Gāoyáng)model or picture of a lamb with a cross
Danish agnus dei, gudslam
- agnus deipart of the Mass; music to which it is set
- gudslammodel or picture of a lamb with a cross
Finnish Jumalan Karitsa, Jumalan Karitsa
- Jumalan Karitsapart of the Mass; music to which it is set
- Jumalan Karitsamodel or picture of a lamb with a cross
Greek ο αμνός του Θεού
- ο αμνός του Θεού (o amnós tou Theoú)model or picture of a lamb with a cross
Indonesian Agnus Dei
- Agnus Deipart of the Mass; music to which it is set
Polish Baranek Boży, Baranek Boży
- Baranek Bożypart of the Mass; music to which it is set
- Baranek Bożymodel or picture of a lamb with a cross
Portuguese agnus dei
- agnus deipart of the Mass; music to which it is set
Russian а́гнец бо́жий, а́гнец бо́жий
- а́гнец бо́жий (ágnec bóžij)part of the Mass; music to which it is set
- а́гнец бо́жий (ágnec bóžij)model or picture of a lamb with a cross
Spanish Cordero de Dios
- Cordero de Diosmodel or picture of a lamb with a cross
Swedish Agnus Dei, gudslamm
- Agnus Deimodel or picture of a lamb with a cross
- gudslammmodel or picture of a lamb with a cross
Tagalog Kordero ng Diyos
- Kordero ng Diyospart of the Mass; music to which it is set
Cite this entry
Agnus Dei. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Agnus%20Dei
“Agnus Dei.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Agnus%20Dei. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Agnus Dei,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Agnus%20Dei.
Source: Agnus Dei on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.