litany

noun

lit·​a·​ny ˈli-tə-nē 

ˈlit-nē

plural litanies

1

: a prayer consisting of a series of invocations and supplications by the leader with alternate responses by the congregation

the Litany of the Saints

2

a

: a resonant or repetitive chant

a litany of cheering phrases

—Herman Wouk

b

: a usually lengthy recitation or enumeration

a familiar litany of complaints

c

: a sizable series or set

a litany of problems

The drug has a litany of possible side effects.

Did you know?

A Short History of Litany

How do we love the word litany? Let us count the ways. We love its original 13th century meaning, still in use today, referring to a call-and-response prayer in which a series of lines are spoken alternately by a leader and a congregation. We love how litany has developed in the intervening centuries three figurative senses, and we love each of these as well: first, a sense meaning “repetitive chant”; next, the “lengthy recitation” sense owing to the repetitious—and sometimes interminable—nature of the original litany; and finally, an even broader sense referring to any sizeable series or set. Though litanies of this third sort tend to be unpleasant, we choose today to think of the loveliness found in the idea of “a litany of sonnets by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.”

Examples of litany in a Sentence

He has a litany of grievances against his former employer.

The team blamed its losses on a litany of injuries.

Recent Examples on the Web

Republicans staged part of theirs at the White House, a radical break from tradition that mixed politics with the trappings of governance and prompted Democrats to charge the Trump administration with a litany of Hatch Act violations. —Jonathan Weisman, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2024

Netanyahu is also facing a litany of corruption charges, which are slowly making their way through the courts, and critics say his decisions appear to be focused on political survival over the national interest. —Melanie Lindman, Wafaa Shurafa, arkansasonline.com, 1 Apr. 2024

Or maybe Cardinale’s peers would hardly notice, with RedBird just the latest in a litany of foreign investors to get fed up with Italian soccer and cash out. —Paolo Confino, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2024

The Rangers World Series ring has 103 blue sapphires, 23 red rubies and a litany of diamonds, as well as leather from baseballs used in the Rangers’ World Series wins. —Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Mar. 2024

The readouts of Tuesday's call from both countries underscored the litany of areas where the two leaders still fundamentally disagree. —Molly Nagle, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2024

It was revealed after her death that Dee Dee subjected Gypsy to unnecessary medical treatments and convinced her daughter and others that her daughter had a litany of illnesses as a child. —Nicole Acosta, Peoplemag, 29 Mar. 2024

Over the next 10 pages, Denk laid out a litany of legal arguments, beginning with the transfer of its title, as to why the Kansas statute did not apply to Joe D. Dennis Park. —Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024

Baldwin’s lawyers have accused the New Mexico prosecutors of a litany of abuses, and are seeking to have the case dismissed. —Gene Maddaus, Variety, 15 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English letanie, from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French, from Late Latin litania, from Late Greek litaneia, from Greek, entreaty, from litanos supplicant

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

litany

noun

lit·​a·​ny ˈlit-ᵊn-ē 

ˈlit-nē

plural litanies

: a prayer consisting of a series of lines spoken alternately by a leader and the congregation