glory be

interjection

Used to express surprise.

Similar
wowGloria PatriGlory Be to the Father
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Meanings

glory be1

interjection
  1. datedidiomaticUsed to express surprise.

    Synonyms: wow

Glory Be2

proper nounGlory Be (plural Glory Bes)

plural Glory Bes

  1. CatholicismA doxology to the Trinity, commonly prayed as part of the rosary.

    I said, ‘Hail Mary, full of grace’ and a whole string of Glory Bes to try and concentrate my mind, but life kept intruding.

    1997, Laurie Graham, Perfect Meringues, London: Black Swan, →ISBN, page 86

    Synonyms: Gloria Patri, Glory Be to the Father

Synonyms & antonyms

interjectionUsed to express surprise.

Similar
wow

proper nounA doxology to the Trinity, commonly prayed as part of the rosary.

Similar
Gloria PatriGlory Be to the Father
Also see
wow

Origin

glory be · interjection

Shortened from glory be to God.

Full word history & related roots →

Glory Be · proper noun

From the first two words in the English version of this doxology.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Cantonese 聖三光榮經 /圣三光荣经
  • 聖三光榮經 /圣三光荣经 (sing³ saam¹ gwong¹ wing⁴ ging¹)a doxology
Chinese Mandarin 聖三光榮經 /圣三光荣经
  • 聖三光榮經 /圣三光荣经 (Shèngsān Guāngróng Jīng)a doxology
Hungarian Dicsőség
  • Dicsőséga doxology
Cite this entry
APA

glory be. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/glory%20be

MLA

“glory be.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/glory%20be. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “glory be,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/glory%20be.

Source: glory be on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.