Herman Wouk
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A Short History of Litany
How do we love the word litany? Let us count the ways. We love its original 13th century meaning, still in use today, referring to a call-and-response prayer in which a series of lines are spoken alternately by a leader and a congregation. We love how litany has developed in the intervening centuries three figurative senses, and we love each of these as well: first, a sense meaning “repetitive chant”; next, the “lengthy recitation” sense owing to the repetitious—and sometimes interminable—nature of the original litany; and finally, an even broader sense referring to any sizeable series or set. Though litanies of this third sort tend to be unpleasant, we choose today to think of the loveliness found in the idea of “a litany of sonnets by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.”
Examples of litany in a Sentence
Milton Ezrati, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
The rally also featured a litany of racist, sexist and vulgar rhetoric from speakers that caused widespread outcry.
—Ivana Saric, Axios, 30 Oct. 2024
Among a litany of measures, including a major change to the government’s fiscal rules, Reeves is reported to be considering a sin tax raid.
—Sam Meredith, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2024
There has been a litany of profit warnings from European automakers in recent weeks.
—Bloomberg, Orange County Register, 28 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Litany.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/litany. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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litany
noun
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