different between prayer vs prayerless

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English preiere, from Anglo-Norman preiere, from Old French priere, proiere, from Medieval Latin or Late Latin prec?ria, feminine of Latin prec?rius (“obtained by entreaty”), from precor (“beg, entreat”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /p???(?)/
• (US) enPR: prâr, pr???r, IPA^(key): /p???/, /?p?e???/, /?p???/

Noun

prayer (countable and uncountable, plural prayers)

1. (uncountable) A practice of communicating with one's God.

2. (countable) An act of praying.
   • 2020 December, Dave Barry, "Year in review":

3. The specific words or methods used for praying.

4. A meeting held for the express purpose of praying.

5. (countable) A request; a petition.

6. (in the singular, mostly in negative constructions) The remotest hope or chance.

   That team doesn't have a prayer of winning the championship.

Synonyms

• orison, precation
• bead (archaic)

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology 2

pray +? -er.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?p?e??(?)/
• (US) enPR: pr???r, IPA^(key): /?p?e???/

Noun

prayer (plural prayers)

1. One who prays.
   • 1974, Shel Silverstein, “Invitation”, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Harper Collins Publishers:

     If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar / A hope-er^[sic], a pray-er^[sic], a magic bean buyer…

   • 2012, Paul O'Connor, Islam in Hong Kong: Muslims and Everyday Life in China's World City

     Out of the 37 respondents, seven are infrequent prayers who prefer to leave the precise details of their prayer life ambiguous.

Translations

English

Etymology

prayer +? -less

Adjective

prayerless (not comparable)

1. Without prayer.
   • 2005, Jonathan Edwards, Randall J. Pederson, Day by Day with Jonathan Edwards

     But how is a life, in a great measure prayerless, consistent with a holy life? To lead an holy life is to lead a life devoted to God; a life of worshipping...

   • 2007, Edward M. Bounds, Power Through Prayer

     Salvation never finds its way to a prayerless heart.

Derived terms

• prayerlessly
• prayerlessness

Translations