different between pious vs prayerful

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin p?us (“pious, dutiful, blessed, kind, devout”), from Proto-Indo-European *pewH- (“pure”). Cognate with Old English f?le (“faithful, trusty, good; dear, beloved”). More at feal.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?pa??s/

• Rhymes: -a??s

Adjective

pious (comparative more pious, superlative most pious)

1. Of or pertaining to piety, exhibiting piety, devout, godfearing.
   • 2014, Paul Salopek, Blessed. Cursed. Claimed., National Geographic (December 2014)[1]

     Its male residents dress like crows: heavy black suits, black Borsalino hats, the old grandfathers hugely whiskered and the boys in peot, the curled sidelocks of the pious.

Usage notes

• Sometimes used pejoratively, in the sense of "mistaken" or "false" piety, as in "pious errors", "pious frauds".

Synonyms

• reverent, reverential, dutiful, religious, devout, godly

Antonyms

• (of or pertaining to piety): impious, independent, profane

Derived terms

• piously
• piousness
• pi

Related terms

• piety

Translations

Anagrams

• pouis

English

Etymology

From prayer +? -ful.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?p???f?l/

Adjective

prayerful (comparative more prayerful, superlative most prayerful)

1. That prays frequently; characterised by prayer, devout, reverent. [from 17th c.]
   • 2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity, Penguin 2010, p. 207:

     His extrovert craziness is an interesting counterpoint or safety valve to the ethos of prayerful silence and traditional solemnity which is so much part of Orthodox identity.

Translations