Breviary

(bre've-a-re.) [From L. breviarium.] (Eccl.) The book containing the daily offices of prayer of the Roman Catholic Church; the offices are 7 in number, viz.: matins, lauds, prime, tierce, nones, vespers, and compline. Originally, every Catholic was obliged to read the B. daily; but by degrees, the injunction to do so became confined to the clergy alone, and upon whom it is still compulsory. It was formerly much longer than at present, whence the name. [s. 115]