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View synonyms for vesper

vesper

[ ves-per ]

noun

  1. (initial capital letter) the evening star, especially Venus; Hesperus.
  2. Also called vesper bell. a bell rung at evening.
  3. vespers, (sometimes initial capital letter) Ecclesiastical.
    1. a religious service in the late afternoon or the evening.
    2. the sixth of the seven canonical hours, or the service for it, occurring in the late afternoon or the evening.
    3. Roman Catholic Church. a part of the office to be said in the evening by those in major orders, frequently made a public ceremony in the afternoons or evenings of Sundays and holy days.
    4. Anglican Church. evensong ( def 1 ).
  4. Archaic. evening.


adjective

  1. of, pertaining to, appearing in, or proper to the evening.
  2. of or relating to vespers.

Vesper

1

/ ˈvɛspə /

noun

  1. the planet Venus, when appearing as the evening star


vesper

2

/ ˈvɛspə /

noun

  1. an evening prayer, service, or hymn
  2. an archaic word for evening
  3. modifier of or relating to vespers

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Word History and Origins

Origin of vesper1

1350–1400; Middle English, partly < Latin: evening, evening star; partly < Old French vespres evening service < Medieval Latin vesperās, accusative plural of Latin vespera, feminine variant of vesper; cognate with Greek hésperos; akin to west

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Word History and Origins

Origin of vesper1

C14: from Latin: evening, the evening star; compare Greek hesperos evening; see west

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Example Sentences

The film feels dated at times but its central message still rings loud as bells at vespers.

From Time

At another time she took from Bouvard twenty sous, which she placed at vesper-time in the sacristans collecting-plate.

Like the meadowlark again, the vesper sparrow occasionally sings as it soars upward from its grassy home.

Its habit of singing later in the evening gave it the name of “Vesper.”

His attention was constantly interrupted by the little flutter of color made more distinct by a vesper before the photograph.

Would you could have heard that vesper hymn stealing hirsute through the mellow evening-air!

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Vespasianvesperal