noonday prayer
- noun
- Formal
:
oración del mediodía
- The tradition of noonday prayer offers a peaceful moment to reconnect with one's faith.
Examples
-
The group gathered in the chapel for noonday prayer during the retreat.
-
Every day at work, she pauses for noonday prayer in her office.
-
Every day, we gather for noonday prayer.
-
Did you attend the noonday prayer yesterday?
-
Every day at noon, the congregation gathers for noonday prayer in the church courtyard.
-
He always takes a moment for noonday prayer to reflect and center himself during his busy day.
-
During the retreat, participants engaged in a communal noonday prayer to reconnect with their faith.
How Late
- Baby Talk
2
6.0
- Formal
1
8.7
- Formal
- Specialized
4
5.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a prayer recited at noon' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'noonday' (the peak time of daylight/noon) with 'prayer' (a communication to a deity). This straightforward noun+noun composition follows common compositional patterns found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
The phrase noonday prayer comes from the old church habit of stopping at noon to say a short prayer. So, it means 'a prayer said at noon' and a quiet time to reconnect with faith.