vesper

Other forms: vespers

A vesper is an evening song. It also refers to evening prayers, and then it’s usually plural as vespers. Whether it’s a church service or a jazz band at sunset, if it’s in the evening, it’s a vesper.

Vesper hasn’t changed much over the years, in Latin it means “evening star,” and in Old English it’s æfen-sang, which sounds a little like “evening song.” In the Christian tradition, vespers are prayer services occurring later in the day. In the Roman Catholic Church vespers are a series of prayers that church officials and believers say together. This word has had several meanings over time, but most are related to evening, which is when the prayers take place.