n. pl. bre·vi·ar·ies Ecclesiastical A book containing the hymns, offices, and prayers for the canonical hours. [Middle English breviarie, from Old French breviaire, from Medieval Latin breviārium, from Latin, summary, from brevis, short; see BRIEF.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.