censer

noun

cen·​ser ˈsen(t)-sər How to pronounce censer (audio)
: a vessel for burning incense
especially : a covered incense burner swung on chains in a religious ritual

Illustration of censer

Illustration of censer

Examples of censer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The clanging of heavy weight in motion is like the clinking of a priest’s censer, releasing a cloud of incense, which enters the nooks and crannies of one’s life and infuses them with a certain power. Jordan Castro, Harper's Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024 From behind the counter, the cashier pulled forth a large brass hanging censer. Myriam Gurba, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2023 The young priest prayed and swung his censer. Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2022 When the curtain went up, an immense censer slowly swung above the stage like a pendulum, and for a couple of minutes the only sound in the house was the tolling of a funeral bell. Vulture, 1 Mar. 2022 At the outset, a massive censer swung slowly like a pendulum over the stage to the toll of a distant bell, leaving a trail of smoke that settled into the misty forest where the lovers discover each other. Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2022 That airless environment of secrecy and subterfuge is thick with smoke that emanates first from a censer hanging center stage before the play begins and then clogs the sepulchral shafts of John Torres' expressive lighting throughout. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Feb. 2020 Recall the Dior fall 2000 show by Galliano, which opened with a model swinging a censer while dressed as the Pope. Josephine Livingstone, The New Republic, 8 May 2018 Velvet drapes and kneeling pillows, shafts of white hyacinth and censers wafting clouds of heady frankincense felt like a lot to absorb on a Monday morning. Guy Trebay, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'censer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of censer was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near censer

Cite this Entry

“Censer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/censer. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

censer

noun
cen·​ser ˈsen(t)-sər How to pronounce censer (audio)
: a container in which incense is burned

More from Merriam-Webster on censer

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