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Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. Roman Catholic Church A recitation of prayers and devotions for a special purpose during nine consecutive days.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. n. In the Roman Catholic Church, a devotion consisting of prayers said during nine consecutive days, for the purpose of obtaining, through the intercession of the Virgin or of the particular saint to whom the prayers are addressed, some special blessing or mercy. Also called by the French name neuvaine.

Wiktionary

  1. n. A recitation of prayers and devotions for nine consecutive days, especially one to a saint to ask for their intercession

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. a Roman Catholic devotion consisting of prayers on nine consecutive days

Etymologies

  1. Medieval Latin novēna, from feminine of Latin novēnus, nine each, from novem, nine; see newn̥ in Indo-European roots. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

Examples

  • “That novena is called the posadas, and it's celebrated somewhat differently -- but that's another post.”

    November celebrations

  • “The novena is not only related to someone's dying.”

    Novena?

  • “The novena is prayed on the 9 days prior to the anniversary day of his canonisation. posted by John at 3: 19 PM”

    03/01/2003 - 04/01/2003

  • “This nine-day party is called a novena, and throughout Mexico a full-on fiesta patronal is always nine days.”

    November celebrations

  • “Still today, we keep a special nine-day vigil of prayer called a novena between the Ascension and the coming of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost.”

    Homeward bound

  • “A novena is a nine-day vigil of prayer, usually focused on a sing theme or petition.”

    Archive 2006-05-01

  • “We sometimes rely far more upon God than God desires us to do, and there are occasions when a novena is the refuge of laziness or cowardice.”

    Life of Father Hecker

  • “I was delighted to learn a few years ago that the whole concept of the "novena," nine days of intercessory prayer, came from the nine days between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost.”

    Novena to the Holy Spirit Starts Today

  • “This was a kind of novena to take place each of the nine nights prior to Christmas Day.”

    December In Oaxaca

  • “That means prayer, such as the nine days of prayer—the "novena"—among the Apostles as they awaited the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.”

    Pentecost, vocation, and two models of church

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hypernyms (1)

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  1. devotion

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reverse dictionary (1)

Words that contain this word in their definition

  1. neuvaine

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  • bilby "Candles were lit at a side altar. He genuflected. Some sort of novena was in progress and there was exposition of the Blessed Sacrament on the main altar."
    - 'The Colour Of Blood', Brian Moore.
    Jan 3, 2008

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‘novena’ has been looked up 1960 times, loved by 1 person, added to 18 lists, commented on 1 time, and has a Scrabble score of 9.