bead

English

/biːd/

noun
Definitions
  • (archaic) Prayer, later especially with a rosary.
  • Each in a string of small balls making up the rosary or paternoster.
  • A small, round object.
  • (heading) A ridge, band, or molding.
  • Knowledge sufficient to direct one's activities to a purpose.
  • (chemistry) A glassy drop of molten flux, as borax or microcosmic salt, used as a solvent and color test for several mineral earths and oxides, as of iron, manganese, etc., before the blowpipe.
  • Front sight of a gun.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English bede (a prayer) derived from Old English bedu derived from Proto-Germanic *bedō (petition, request) root from Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰedʰ- (wish, ask for, ask, pray, request).

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*gʷʰedʰ-

Gloss

wish, ask for, ask, pray, request

Concept
Semantic Field

Speech and language

Ontological Category

Action/Process

Kanji

祈

Emoji
🙏

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms