beadsman
Noun: 1. A person who is paid to pray for the soul of another: Historically, a beadsman was a man, often a pensioner or an almsman, retained to pray for the soul of a benefactor. The term is directly associated with the practice of saying prayers, often counted on a rosary or "beads."
The word "beadsman" is an archaic and historical term. It is used to refer specifically to a man employed for the duty of intercessory prayer. It is not used in modern contexts outside of historical or literary discussion.
- Noun:
- The wealthy lord retained a beadsman to pray for the salvation of his family's souls.
- In medieval times, a beadsman might live in an almshouse provided by his patron.
- The term is almost exclusively historical. Its use in contemporary English would be for stylistic effect in historical fiction or to evoke a specific past era.
- The feminine equivalent is "beadswoman," though it is even rarer.
- Beadswoman (noun): The female equivalent of a beadsman.
- Almsman (noun): A person who lives on charity or alms; this can overlap with the concept of a beadsman who received support in return for prayers.
- Pensioner (noun): A person who receives a regular payment, often due to retirement or service; historical beadsmen were often a form of pensioner.
- Intercessor: (A more general, modern term for one who prays on behalf of others.)
- Prayer: (In the specific sense of a person who prays, though without the connotation of being paid.)
- Almsman: (Highlights the aspect of receiving charitable support.)
The core meaning of "beadsman" is intrinsically linked to the historical social and religious practice of hiring someone to perform the spiritual work of prayer. It implies a transactional relationship between wealth/sponsorship and spirituality/intercession. The word itself derives from "bead," referring to the prayer beads used to count prayers.
-
a person who is paid to pray for the soul of another
