joss stick

noun

: a slender stick of incense burned in front of a joss

Examples of joss stick in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Before filming a project, the Academy Award winner gathers with cast and crew for a blessing ceremony, joss sticks in tow, to conjure protection and prosperity for all involved. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 24 May 2023 Down on Mott Street, where gleaming lanterns swing from balconies, where joss sticks burn and the smell of incense is in the air, there is unquestioned belief in fiends and devils, in magic and in spells. Alexander Sammon, Harper's Magazine, 25 June 2022 Thai television stations broadcast the royal order along with a video of Suthida, wearing a pale pink dress, laying before the king and presenting him with a tray of flowers and joss sticks, AP reports. Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE.com, 21 Oct. 2019 When eating, do not stick your chopsticks upright in your bowl of rice, because this is the symbol of two burning joss sticks used for funerals. National Geographic, 26 Mar. 2019 It had been bisected by hundreds of joss sticks, which stuck out from the figure like the shafts of arrows; these were methodically lit after dinner during the performance by the artist and her assistants, who wielded blow torches. Alessandra Codinha, Vogue, 22 June 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'joss stick.' 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

1845, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of joss stick was in 1845

Dictionary Entries Near joss stick

Cite this Entry

“Joss stick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/joss%20stick. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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