Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

prayer beads

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.62 in modern English

Syllables: prayer beads
IPA

19

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

1

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A string of beads used by members of various religions to count prayers, chants, or devotions.

Example Sentences

"Suits didn't wear suits any more—they wore Tibetan prayer beads coiled around their wrists. But they slithered in a suitlike way."

Etymology

An interesting example of a compound that is diachronically pleonastic, although not synchronically so; the head by itself originally meant the relevant meaning (see bead), but as the head's meaning broadened by extension, the compound then became necessary to specify the relevant meaning by narrowing down.

Inflected Forms

prayer bead (singular)

Phrases

prayer book

Frequently Paired Words

prayer book

Synonyms

rosary

Questions

What does prayer beads mean?: A string of beads used by members of various religions to count prayers, chants, or devotions.
Where does prayer beads come from?: An interesting example of a compound that is diachronically pleonastic, although not synchronically so; the head by itself originally meant the relevant meaning (see bead), but as the head's meaning broadened by extension, the compound then became necessary to specify the relevant meaning by narrowing down.

How to pronounce prayer beads

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