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rosary

Origin: LL. Rosarium a string of beads, L. Rosarium a place planted with roses, rosa a rose: cf. F. Rosaire. See Rose.

1. A bed of roses, or place where roses grow. Thick rosaries of scented thorn.

2. A series of prayers (see note below) arranged to be recited in order, on beads; also, a string of beads by which the prayers are counted. His idolized book, and the whole rosary of his prayers. (milton)

A rosary consists of fifteen decades. Each decade contains ten Ave Marias marked by small beads, preceded by a paternoster, marked by a larger bead, and concluded by a gloria Patri. Five decades make a chaplet, a third part of the rosary.

3. A chapelet; a garland; a series or collection, as of beautiful thoughts or of literary selections. Every day propound to yourself a rosary or chaplet of good works to present to god at night. (Jer. Taylor)

4. A coin bearing the figure of a rose, fraudulently circulated in Ireland in the 13th century for a penny.

(Science: zoology) Rosary shell, any marine gastropod shell of the genus Monodonta. They are top-shaped, bright-coloured and pearly.