Ave Maria
/ˈɑːveɪ məˈriːə/
noun
Origin
Latin
ave — be well/hail
Overview
Meaning Now
- A traditional Catholic prayer addressed to the Virgin Mary, also known as the Hail Mary.
- A musical composition set to the text of this prayer.
Literal older meaning
Hail Mary
Language path
Latin → Late Latin → English
Earliest form
Ave Maria
Earliest period
11th century
Journey
The prayer is derived from the Gospel of Luke (the Annunciation), combining the greeting of the Angel Gabriel ('Hail, full of grace') and the greeting of Elizabeth ('Blessed art thou among women'). It evolved into its current form by the mid-16th century.
Evolution
- Classical Latin
ave
“be well (imperative of avere)”
Used as a standard greeting.
- 11th century
Ave Maria
“Hail Mary”
Formation of the liturgical prayer based on the Annunciation.
- 16th century
Ave Maria
“The prayer or a musical setting”
Standardization in Roman Catholic liturgy following the Council of Trent.
Connections
Word parts
Ave
root
hail/greetings
Maria
root
Mary
Related across languages
Italian
Hail Mary
Spanish
Ave María
Hail Mary
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Related to Ave Maria
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.