Breviary

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Breviary \Bre"vi*a*ry\, n.; pl. {Breviaries}. [F. br['e]viarie,
     L. breviarium summary, abridgment, neut. noun fr. breviarius
     abridged, fr. brevis short. See {Brief}, and cf. {Brevier}.]
     1. An abridgment; a compend; an epitome; a brief account or
        summary.
        [1913 Webster]


  
              A book entitled the abridgment or breviary of those
              roots that are to be cut up or gathered. --Holland.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A book containing the daily public or canonical prayers of
        the Roman Catholic or of the Greek Church for the seven
        canonical hours, namely, matins and lauds, the first,
        third, sixth, and ninth hours, vespers, and compline; --
        distinguished from the missal.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  breviary
       n : (Roman Catholic Church) a book of prayers to be recited
           daily certain priests and members of religious orders