noun
Common
ave
AH-vay
Ave (noun) means Short for "Ave Maria," the Catholic prayer to the Virgin Mary. Example: “The choir sang an Ave at the end of the evening service.”
noun
1
Short for "Ave Maria," the Catholic prayer to the Virgin Mary.
"The choir sang an Ave at the end of the evening service."
"He whispered an Ave while lighting a candle in the quiet church."
"She recited an Ave under her breath before the ceremony began."
intj
1
A formal greeting or salute, from the Latin for "hail" or "farewell."
"The gladiators raised their arms and shouted "Ave!" to the cheering crowd."
"In the play, the senator greeted the visitors with a solemn "Ave"."
""Ave, Caesar!" the soldiers called out."
How to use ave
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the short name for the "Hail Mary" prayer, or a Latin-style greeting/salute.
Common pairings
Ave Maria
hail and ave
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Word forms
- Plural
- aves
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The choir sang an _____ at the end of the evening service.
Etymology
From Latin ave, a greeting meaning "hail" or "be well."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for ave
See all rhymes for ave →Frequently asked questions
What does “ave” mean?
The word “ave” means short for "Ave Maria," the Catholic prayer to the Virgin Mary. In plain terms, either the short name for the "Hail Mary" prayer, or a Latin-style greeting/salute.
How do you pronounce “ave”?
“Ave” is pronounced AH-vay (/ˈɑːveɪ/ in IPA).
How do you use “ave” in a sentence?
Here is “ave” used in a sentence: “She recited an Ave under her breath before the ceremony began.”
What part of speech is “ave”?
Depending on how it is used, “ave” can be a noun and an intj.
Where does the word “ave” come from?
The word “ave” comes from Latin. From Latin ave, a greeting meaning "hail" or "be well.".
Is “ave” a common word?
“Ave” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “ave” have?
“Ave” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: short for "Ave Maria," the Catholic prayer to the Virgin Mary.
What is an Ave in the Catholic Church?
An Ave is a short name for the Ave Maria, the Catholic prayer to the Virgin Mary, known in English as the Hail Mary. Saying "three Aves," for example, means reciting that prayer three times.
Is the word ave the same as the abbreviation Ave. for avenue?
No, they are unrelated. "Ave." in street addresses is simply an abbreviation of avenue, while ave as a word is the Latin greeting meaning "hail" or a short name for the Ave Maria prayer.
