vigil

vig·il

noun \ˈvi-jəl\

: an event or a period of time when a person or group stays in a place and quietly waits, prays, etc., especially at night

Full Definition of VIGIL

1

a :  a watch formerly kept on the night before a religious feast with prayer or other devotions

b :  the day before a religious feast observed as a day of spiritual preparation

c :  evening or nocturnal devotions or prayers —usually used in plural

2

:  the act of keeping awake at times when sleep is customary; also :  a period of wakefulness

3

:  an act or period of watching or surveillance :  watch <kept vigil at her bedside>

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Examples of VIGIL

1. <kept vigil at their ailing son's bedside the entire time he was in the hospital>

Origin of VIGIL

Middle English vigile, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin vigilia watch on the eve of a feast, from Latin, wakefulness, watch, from vigil awake, watchful; akin to Latin vigēre to be vigorous, vegēre to enliven — more at wake

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to VIGIL

Synonyms

lookout, surveillance, watch

Related Words

observance, observation, supervision; inspection, scrutiny

Rhymes with VIGIL

Rigel, strigil