litany

UK: /ˈlɪtəni/ US: /ˈlɪtəni/ ,(lit′n ē)

Inflections of 'litany' (n): npl: litanies

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

lit•a•ny /ˈlɪtəni/   n. [countable] , pl. -nies. 

1. Religion a form of prayer consisting of a series of prayers by a priest or leader, with responses from the congregation that are the same for a number in succession.
2. a long list of anything repetitious:
   a litany of complaints.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

lit•a•ny  (lit′n ē), n., pl. -nies. 

1. Religion a ceremonial or liturgical form of prayer consisting of a series of invocations or supplications with responses that are the same for a number in succession.
2. Religion the Litany, the supplication in this form in the Book of Common Prayer.
3. a recitation or recital that resembles a litany.
4. a prolonged or tedious account:
   We heard the whole litany of their complaints.

• Medieval Latin, Late Latin, as above
• Late Greek litaneía litany, Greek: an entreating, equivalent. to litan- (stem of litaínein, variant of litaneúein to pray) + -eia -y³; replacing Middle English letanie, Old English letanīa
• Late Latin litanīa
• bef. 900

Synonyms

• 4. list, catalog, enumeration.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

litany / ˈlɪtənɪ/ noun ( -nies)

1. the Litany ⇒ a form of prayer consisting of a series of invocations, each followed by an unvarying response
2. the general supplication in this form included in the Book of Common Prayer
3. any long or tedious speech or recital

Etymology: 13th Century: via Old French from Medieval Latin litanīa from Late Greek litaneia prayer, ultimately from Greek litē entreaty