breviary

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UK/ˈbɹɛv.ɪ.əɹ.i/UK/ˈbɹiː.vɪ.əɹ.i/US/ˈbɹɛv.i.ɛɹ.i/Canada/ˈbɹiː.və.ɹi/

noun

A book containing prayers, hymns, and so on for everyday use at the canonical hours.

OriginLatin breviārium →
UncommonScrabble 16
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Meanings

nounbreviary (plural breviaries)

plural breviaries

  1. A book containing prayers, hymns, and so on for everyday use at the canonical hours.

    Sister took out her breviary and said her evening office.

    2009, Jennifer Worth, Farewell to the East End, Weidenfeld & Nicholson, page 95
  2. obsoleteA brief statement or summary.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
church serviceliturgyliturgy of the hoursofficeprayer bookpsalter

Origin

  1. Latinbreviārium“summary”
  2. Englishbreviary

From Latin breviārium (“summary”) (compare abbreviation), ultimately from brevis (“short”). Doublet of brevier and brimborion.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian молитвеник, требник
  • молитвеник (molitvenik)a book containing prayers and hymns
  • требник (trebnik)a book containing prayers and hymns
Chinese Mandarin 祈祷书
  • 祈祷书 (qídǎoshū)a book containing prayers and hymns
Czech breviář
  • breviářa book containing prayers and hymns
Danish breviar
  • breviara book containing prayers and hymns
Dutch brevier
  • breviera book containing prayers and hymns
Esperanto breviero
  • brevieroa book containing prayers and hymns
Finnish rukouskirja, breviario
  • rukouskirjaa book containing prayers and hymns
  • breviarioa book containing prayers and hymns
  • hetkirukouskirjaa book containing prayers and hymns
French bréviaire
  • bréviairea book containing prayers and hymns
German Brevier
  • Breviera book containing prayers and hymns
Hungarian breviárium
  • breviáriuma book containing prayers and hymns
Italian breviario
  • breviarioa book containing prayers and hymns
Latvian breviārs
  • breviārsa book containing prayers and hymns
Lithuanian brevijõrius
  • brevijõriusa book containing prayers and hymns
Polish brewiarz
  • brewiarza book containing prayers and hymns
Portuguese breviário, livro de horas
  • breviárioa book containing prayers and hymns
  • livro de horasa book containing prayers and hymns
Punjabi ਗੁਟਕਾ
  • ਗੁਟਕਾ (guṭkā)a book containing prayers and hymns
Romanian breviar
  • breviara book containing prayers and hymns
Russian тре́бник, бревиа́рий
  • тре́бник (trébnik)a book containing prayers and hymns
  • бревиа́рий (breviárij)a book containing prayers and hymns
Slovak breviár
  • breviára book containing prayers and hymns
Spanish breviario
  • breviarioa book containing prayers and hymns
Swedish breviarium
  • breviariuma book containing prayers and hymns
Ukrainian бревіа́рій
  • бревіа́рій (breviárij)a book containing prayers and hymns
Cite this entry
APA

breviary. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/breviary

MLA

“breviary.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/breviary. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “breviary,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/breviary.

Source: breviary on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.