plural rites
: an act that is part of a usually religious ceremony
Incense is often burned in their religious rites.
funeral/purification rites
Police suspect that the crime was a gang initiation rite. [=an act that someone must do in order to officially join a gang]
Cite this Entry
“Rite.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/rite. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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