votive
/ˈvəʊtɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈvəʊtɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈvō-tiv How to pronounce votive (audio)/ (ame, mw)
votive — adjective
- votivepositive
- more votivecomparative
- most votivesuperlative
1. relating to objects or actions that people present or carry out in a place of wo
relating to objects or actions that people present or carry out in a place of worship as a way of showing gratitude, personal devotion, or a spiritual wish to a god or saint
Chiara lit a votive candle at the church and prayed for her sick grandmother.
votive candle — a candle lit as a prayer offering
The museum displays ancient votive statues that worshippers left at Greek temples.
At the hill shrine, visitors tie votive ribbons to branches as a sign of hope.
A votive lamp burns day and night above the altar in the small stone chapel.
Each month Brandon’s grandmother placed a votive offering of bread at the temple.
- devotional
broader — covers any religious practice or object, not specifically offerings made in fulfilment of a vow
- dedicatory
more formal; emphasizes the act of setting something apart for a sacred purpose
- profane
describes objects or acts not connected with religion or holy purposes
文法句型
votive + noun (offering, candle, statue, gift, lamp, ribbon)
用法筆記
Always used attributively before a noun — you cannot say “the offering was votive” as a standalone predicate. The noun it modifies is typically a physical object (candle, statue, gift) rather than an abstract concept.
常見錯誤
❗ ‘They made a votive to the gods.’ ✅ ‘They made a votive offering to the gods.’ — ‘Votive’ is an adjective, not a noun; you need a noun after it to name the object.
votive — noun
1. a candle that is shorter and wider than a standard candle, lit in a religious se
a candle that is shorter and wider than a standard candle, lit in a religious setting as a personal prayer token and often placed inside a small glass cup
Eshe placed a white votive in a glass cup and lit it during evening prayer.
votive (noun) — a candle used as a prayer offering
Hari bought a votive at the church shop for the saint’s statue.
Visitors can leave a burning votive on the metal stand outside the chapel door.
A row of red votives flickered on the stone shelf beside the wooden cross.
The family kept a votive burning in their home during the holy festival week.
- prayer candle
more descriptive; used across Christian denominations, not limited to Catholic practice
- offering candle
emphasizes the gift aspect rather than the prayer aspect
文法句型
a/the votive
votives (plural)
light / place / buy + votive
用法筆記
As a standalone noun, “votive” is a shortening of “votive candle” and is most common in Catholic and Eastern Orthodox contexts. In other religious traditions, the object is usually referred to as an “offer” or “prayer candle” rather than a “votive”.
常見錯誤
❗ ‘I lit a votive candle offering.’ ✅ ‘I lit a votive candle.’ or ‘I lit a votive.’ — ‘Votive’ as a noun already means “votive candle’, so the word “candle” is redundant if you use the noun form.