Definition

Noun: A prie-dieu is a piece of furniture, specifically a low bench or a small desk with a padded kneeler and a narrow shelf for a book (such as a prayer book or missal) on top. It is designed for use during private prayer, allowing a person to kneel comfortably while resting their arms or a book on the shelf.

Usage

The word prie-dieu is used to refer to this specific devotional furniture item. It is a formal term, often encountered in historical, religious, or antique contexts.

Examples

• In the quiet chapel, a solitary prie-dieu stood before the altar.
• The antique prie-dieu, carved from dark oak, was a family heirloom used for generations.
• She knelt at the prie-dieu to say her evening prayers.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used metaphorically in literature to symbolize devotion, penitence, or a private spiritual moment.
  • His study became his prie-dieu, a place for quiet contemplation over his books.

Variants and Related Words

• Kneeler: A more general term for a cushion or bench for kneeling, often found in church pews, but lacking the integrated shelf of a prie-dieu.
• Prayer desk: A synonymous term, though it may imply a slightly larger or different style of furniture.

Synonyms

• Prayer desk
• Kneeling bench (though this is less specific)

Notes on Meaning

The core meaning of prie-dieu is consistently a piece of furniture for kneeling prayer. Its defining feature is the combination of a kneeler and a rest for a book or the arms. It is not used to describe the act of praying itself, only the object used for that purpose.

Noun

1. low bench for kneeling on