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Glite Dictionary
imprecatory

imprecatory

9.9
Asking for harm to come to someone, often in a prayer
  • adjective
  • /ˌɪmprɪˈkeɪtəri/
  • Offensive
translation icon : imprecatorio
  • Although characteristically Hebraic, the imprecatory or lament literary genre is not an exclusively Jewish Psalter phenomenon, which may justify the Rastas' use of that genre in the psalms.

Examples

  • Ademiluka, S.O., 2006, 'The use of imprecatory Psalms in an African context', African Journal of Biblical Studies, 23(2), 53-62.

    Academic text (2018)

  • "It was a spiritual tour de force that revealed the author's close familiarity with the type of imprecatory sermon that Edwards made famous at Enfield.

    Academic text (2005)

  • Rastas found the Psalter appealing also because its imprecatory literary genre is specially suited to their lamentation against colonialism in their fight for national identity and social change in Africa and the Caribbean.

    Academic text (2000)

  • The preacher delivered an imprecatory sermon, calling for divine punishment upon those who oppress the innocent.

  • In her frustration, she recited an imprecatory prayer, wishing for misfortune to befall those who wronged her.

  • The ancient text contains imprecatory verses that invoke curses upon enemies and seek justice through divine retribution.

Antonyms

benedictory
9.9

To give a blessing or wish someone good things

How Hostile

imprecatory
  • Offensive
9.9
damning
3 7.5
hostile
194 4.6

Surface Forms

imprecatory positive

Morphology

imprecatory = imprecate (transparent) = imprecate + ory

The adjective is a regular derivation from the verb 'imprecate' meaning 'to utter curses', so the adjectival meaning 'relating to imprecations' follows directly.

Etymology

Imprecatory comes from Latin parts im- ('against') and precari ('to pray'), and is related to the simple word pray. So an imprecatory prayer or line is one that asks for harm or a curse to come to someone.