noun
litany
LIH-tuh-nee
noun
1
A set of prayers recited in a call-and-response pattern between a leader and a congregation.
"The priest led the congregation through the litany of the saints."
2
A long, repetitive list, especially of complaints or problems.
"He greeted us with a litany of complaints about the delayed flight."
How to Use Litany
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a formal call-and-response prayer, or (more commonly today) a long, tedious list of things — often complaints.
Common pairings
a litany of complaints
a litany of excuses
recite a litany
Word Forms
litanies plural
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Etymology
From Old French letanie, from Latin litania, ultimately from Greek litē, meaning "prayer" or "entreaty."