Definition

Noun: 1. A canonical hour in Christian liturgy: In the traditional Divine Office of the Catholic Church and some other Christian traditions, "sext" is the fourth of the seven canonical hours of prayer, intended for the sixth hour of the day (approximately noon). 2. The service or prayers for this hour: The term can also refer to the specific set of prayers, psalms, and readings recited at this time.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The monks gathered in the chapel to pray sext.
  • The liturgical day continues with the office of sext at midday.
  • He was responsible for leading the community in sext.

Advanced Usage

• "To say/recite/pray sext": This is the standard construction for describing the act of performing this liturgical office.
  • The nuns pause from their work to say sext at noon.

Variants and Related Words

• Sext is a specific liturgical term. It is etymologically related to the Latin word for "sixth" (), referring to the sixth hour of the Roman day.
• Canonical Hours / Divine Office: The larger cycle of daily prayer of which sext is a part. The other traditional hours are Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers, and Compline.

Synonyms

• Midday Prayer: A more general, descriptive synonym.
• Sixth Hour: A direct translation of the Latin origin, sometimes used in historical or liturgical contexts.

Notes on Different Meanings

• Important Distinction: The word "sext" in this specific liturgical sense is a distinct and much older word. It is not related to the modern, informal term "sext" (a portmanteau of "sex" and "text") referring to the sending of sexually explicit messages or images. These are homographs (words spelled the same) with completely different origins and meanings. The context of the sentence will always make clear which meaning is intended.

Noun

1. the fourth of the seven canonical hours; about noon