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Glite Dictionary
terce

terce

9.9
A short church prayer time around nine in the morning
  • noun
  • /tɜrs/
  • Archaic
translation icon : tercia
  • Every day at around 9 a.m., the community observes terce as part of their spiritual routine.

Examples

  • At terce, the monks gathered for morning prayers to reflect and meditate together.

  • Blanche was assured she would be received by the Commander the next morning after Terce.

    Blog text (28)

  • At terce, Sunday, 31 July 1411, Ginevra gave birth to a very attractive baby boy whom we had baptized on 4 August.

    Academic text (1995)

  • I attend an OF Mass said reverently (also including terce): it lasts 1.5 hrs., often longer, and just as in the EF Mass, which I cherish (I am a member of CSP), time melts away.

    Blog text (20)

  • He marked his calendar to remember the time of terce for his daily meditation.

Synonyms

tierce
vsterce
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A short time when Christians pray at about nine in the morning

is the same but without naming the specific religious tradition

Surface Forms

terce singular
terces plural

Etymology

Terce comes from the Latin tertia, meaning 'third', and it named the third prayer hour of the day, usually about 9 a.m. That's why terce literally means the 'third' daily service.