votiven.adj.
/ˈvəʊtɪv/, U.S. /ˈvoʊdɪv/ A. n.
1. A person who has made a religious vow or vows. Also in extended use: a devotee or ardent admirer.
ΚΠ
1584 B. Rich Don Simonides II. sig. B.iv Our Votiue called Frier Sebastian, our Ciuilian Segnior Sandalio, and our Martialist Don Pirro de feragosa.
1702 Lives Anc. Philosophers Introd. p. xxv. There were two Gods, a good one call'd Oromazes, and a bad one call'd Arimanes: The former requiring from its votives Congratulatory Sacrifices, and the latter dismal and averting Oblations.
1903 Town Talk (San Francisco) 1 Aug. 20/1 He has slipped off to bewitching California, to share my marvel and delight in all things the wonder-country has to offer her votives.
1992 R. P. Harrison Forests i. 21 A wooden image of the goddess, which her votives would then follow in an ecstatic procession from her sacred altar to the center of the city.
2. An object placed in a sacred location in honour of a god, goddess, or saint, typically as an expression of thanks in fulfilment of a vow; a votive offering. Also occasionally in extended use of a piece of writing, music, or other work: dedicated to or created in honour of an individual as a sign of appreciation or admiration.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > worship > sacrifice or a sacrifice > kinds of sacrifice > [noun] > votive
vow1382
devotion1542
votive1608
votive offering1732
devotement1799
ex-voto1823
1608 T. Price tr. O. Torsellino Hist. Our B. Lady of Loreto v. xx. 507 But these without doubt were votiues [L. votiua]. A mans head of gold of reasonable bignes & weight, from Iohn Iacob Grimano. A iaw with teeth of siluer, adorned with two diamonds and three Carbuncles from Francis Deitristan, [etc.].
1645 E. Walsingham Alter Britanniae Heros 29 I here conclude; and offer this imperfect Votive of my affection to his happy memory.
1836 Leamington Spa Courier 22 Oct. 2/1 The charity children, neatly attired and bearing floral votives in their hands, took their station on either side.
1976 Scotsman 27 Dec. 7/4 Archaeologists have recently dug up 8395 such terra cotta votives, as they are called.
2015 Rec. Art Museum (Princeton Univ.) 74 12/1 It is possible that this scarab was dedicated as a votive to the king.
3. A votive candle. In later use also: a holder or container for a small candle or tealight, typically shaped like a tumbler or beaker and made of glass.
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1958 Snyder (Texas) Daily News 6 Apr. 7 b/2 The votives were lighted before guests arrived.
1971 Tucson (Arizona) Daily Citizen 10 May 29/3 Candles burn in homemade votives made of empty jelly glasses and tin cans.
2004 Essentials Dec. 101/1 Create a warm, inviting atmosphere with red berry candles and twinkling votives.
2014 C. Cassella Gemini xi. 168 Bo lit a whole row of candles in small glass votives.
B. adj.
1. Designating a person who has made a religious vow or vows; (also) devout. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > worship > vow > [adjective] > carrying out a vow
votive1593
the mind > language > speech > agreement > promise > [adjective] > carrying out
votive1593
1593 T. Nashe Christs Teares f. 28v That Sepulcher you see, is but a thing built vp by Saracens to get mony with, and beguile votiue Christians.
1669 J. Harrington Holy Oyl 108 So that like those Votive Martyrs, though with the Flesh thou obeyest, and art invironed with sin, yet with the Minde thou servest the Lord.
1717 W. Churchill October 39 Young Lawyers, spruce, as votive Vestals chaste, Extol the Colour, and admire the Taste.
1831 J. S. Law Wrongs of Ireland 60 A gateless temple, Concord, once had here, Crouded with votive worshippers, sincere.
1975 G. Thurley Psychol. Hardy's Novels ix. 153 Our first glimpse of her is as a votive sister of the local ‘cerealia’—a virgin on the threshold of experience.
2003 M. Pomeroy Emily Dickinson i. 13 She was a bride of a forever absent lover, or a votive virgin of the spiritual life.
2. † b. Wished for or desired, as opposed to actual; votal (votal adj. 2). Obsolete. rare.
a. Conveying, containing, or implying a desire or wish.
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the mind > will > wish or inclination > desire > wishing > [adjective] > consisting in or expressive of wish
votive1597
the mind > language > speech > agreement > promise > [adjective] > full of or consisting in promises
promissoryc1475
votive1597
promiseful1605
promissive1641
1597 T. Middleton Wisdome of Solomon Paraphr. ix. sig. L4 When I commaund, the people do obay, Submissiue subiects to my votiue wil.
1656 R. Sanderson 20 Serm. 251 The sence hangeth unperfect, unless we take in the former verse too. Both together contain a Votive Prayer or Benediction.
1793 J. Q. Adams Oration Inhabitants Boston 21 To Heaven we speed an ejaculation that the time may hasten, when your reality shall be no longer the grounds of votive supplication, but the theme of grateful acknowledgment.
1827 W. Wordsworth Poet. Wks. IV. 341 No tears of passionate regret Shall stain this votive lay.
2008 Monumenta Nipponica 63 177 Hōryūji may have been originally built as a votive prayer to heal the illness of Emperor Yōmei.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > wish or inclination > desire > wishing > [adjective] > entertained as a wish
wished1580
votal1611
votive1664
1664 Bp. J. Taylor Disswasive from Popery ii. i. 80 A man, by contrition is not reconcil'd to God, without their Sacramental or Ritual penance, actual or votive.
3.
a. Designating something offered or consecrated to a god, saint, etc., in fulfilment of a promise that was made in a vow, and typically offered when it is perceived that a request has been granted or a prayer answered.Now frequently in votive candle n., votive offering n. at Compounds.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > agreement > promise > [adjective] > votive or dedicatory
votive1602
votala1638
1602 T. Lodge tr. Josephus Hist. Antiq. Iewes xvi. x, in tr. Josephus Wks. 422 I haue ordained,..that it shall be lawfull for them to send votiue money [L. uotiuam pecuniam; Fr. deniers] vnto Ierusalem by certaine persons.
1757 tr. J. G. Keyssler Trav. II. 119 A marble boat placed before the church, and said to be a votive piece, as an acknowledgement for deliverance in a storm.
1841 W. Spalding Italy & Ital. Islands II. 343 In a third class, which embraces most of the votive pictures, the Virgin and Child are exhibited in glory.
1999 Oxoniensia 63 148 All the objects that might have been votive have been included below.
2015 Jrnl. Soc. Archit. Historians 74 365/2 The ritual acts of sacrifice at an altar, dedication of votive objects, and prayer did not require the existence of a temple.
b. Designating an act or practice undertaken in accordance with a vow.
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the mind > language > speech > agreement > promise > [adjective] > promised or vowed > undertaken in consequence of a vow
vowed1532
votive1608
1608 T. Price tr. O. Torsellino Hist. Our B. Lady of Loreto iii. xxvi. 299 Whereuppon presently the memorie of the danger which he latelie auoided by the help of the B. Virgin, and of his negligence in performing his votiue pilgrimage [L. votiuae peregrinationis] pricking his guiltie conscience, with aboundant teares he asked pardon of God.
1775 tr. Bull of Crusade in R. Twiss Trav. Portugal & Spain 106 The soldiers occupied in the said war are excused by his holiness from votive fasts.
1876 E. C. Stedman Victorian Poets 397 A knight tilting at a wayside tournament as he rides on his votive quest.
1965 J. E. Oxley Reformation in Essex iii. 50 Divine Service was neglected, true religion turned to error, holy obedience into obstinate rebellion, votive chastity into lustful pleasure.
2003 Jrnl. Royal Anthropol. Soc. 9 733 From the moment of putting on the chain, pilgrims should follow the mandatory vratam—a forty-one-day period of votive abstinence.
c. That takes the form of or serves the function of a vow; involving a vow. Cf. votary adj. 2, votal adj. 1b.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > agreement > promise > [adjective]
votary1582
votivea1626
votal1632
a1626 A. Lake 10 Serm. (1640) 124 The King bindeth himselfe to make good his duty with a Votive Oath.
1807 Ld. Byron Hours of Idleness 20 This votive pledge of fond esteem, Perhaps, dear girl! for me thou'lt prize.
1878 Morning Post 25 Mar. 2/5 The scene is the high priest's tent, where the fated consul is repeating his votive oath.
1982 Rec. Art Museum (Princeton Univ.) 41 44/2 The victory occurred on the feast day of St. Lawrence and prompted the king to make a votive promise to the saint, which was fulfilled in building the Escorial.
2016 F. Graziano Miraculous Images & Votive Offerings Mexico 180 One man made his votive promise ‘before an Image of Our Lady, stamped in a loaf of earth’.
Compounds
votive mass n. (in the Roman Catholic Church) a mass that differs from the service prescribed by the liturgy for a certain day, being composed for a particular purpose and offered for a special intention at the discretion of the priest.The most common types of votive mass are the Mass of Supplication, Mass of Thanksgiving, Requiem Mass, and Nuptial Mass. [After post-classical Latin missa votiva (7th cent.); compare Middle French, French messe votive (1st half of the 15th cent.).]
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > worship > sacrament > communion > mass > kinds of mass > [noun] > votive
votive mass1582
1582 in Bible (Rheims) Matt. xxiiii. 3 (margin) The Gospel for a votiue Masse in time of warre. and for many Martyrs.
1738 E. Chambers Cycl. (ed. 2) at Mass Votive Mass, is an extraordinary Mass besides that of the day, rehearsed on some extraordinary occasion.
1853 D. Rock Church our Fathers III. 161 The Catholic priest will find in his Missal..those votive Masses as they were..allotted each one to its own day of the week, by Alcuin.
2017 Philippines Daily Inquirer (Nexis) 3 Nov. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines has requested all parishes to use the Votive Mass for Persecuted Christians found in the Roman Missal.
votive offering n. an object placed in a sacred location in honour of a god, saint, etc., in fulfilment of a promise that was made in a vow, and typically offered when it is perceived that a request has been granted or a prayer answered. Also in extended use in secular contexts.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > worship > sacrifice or a sacrifice > kinds of sacrifice > [noun] > votive
vow1382
devotion1542
votive1608
votive offering1732
devotement1799
ex-voto1823
1732 T. Dawson tr. Aeschines in tr. Aeschines & Demosthenes Orations conc. Crown 27 The Law prohibits all Persons that have not passed their Accounts, from..hanging up votive Offerings in the Temples of the Gods.
1853 H. N. Humphreys Coin Collector's Man. II. xxiv. 357 The altars for Apollo were besieged with votive offerings for the staying of the pestilence.
1922 Bull. Museum Fine Arts 20 68/1 Among the early votive offerings found at the Argive Heraeum are some small bronze saucers with crimped edges.
2007 J. Spier Picturing Bible 284 The inscription provides no indication that the cross was intended as a votive offering to Saint Peter.
votive tablet n. an inscribed or painted panel formerly hung in a sacred place in commemoration of the fulfilment of a vow (e.g. after deliverance from shipwreck or a dangerous illness).
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1608 T. Price tr. O. Torsellino Hist. Our B. Lady of Loreto ii. xxviii. 223 Golden, siluer and waxen Images, and votiue tablets [L. votiuae..tabellae], which (for the space of manie yeares and ages also) haue beene gathered and heaped togeather.
1718 M. Prior Poems Several Occasions (new ed.) 315 Here..Phoebus King of Verse, The Votive Tablet I suspend.
1774 Monthly Rev. 49 560 It was not customary in Egypt, as in Rome, to hang the walls of the temples with a number of votive tablets.
1869 W. E. H. Lecky Hist. European Morals I. iii. 382 The votive tablets of those who escaped are suspended in the temple, while those who were shipwrecked are forgotten.
1930 Jrnl. Hellenic Stud. 50 151 A votive tablet with Heracles and the boar.
2014 J. Guy Lost Kingdoms iii. 117/1 Later excavations have yielded many votive tablets, some bearing inscriptions.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2020; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.adj.1582