paternoster
pa·ter·nos·ter/ˈpɑtəɹˌnɔstɚ/noun, verb
paternoster is spelled P-A-T-E-R-N-O-S-T-E-R: 11 letters and 4 syllables (pa·ter·nos·ter). It appears about once in every 7 million words in written English, the 81,375th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, paternoster means “The Lord's Prayer, especially in a Roman Catholic context” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of paternoster is paternosters.
How many letters and syllables are in paternoster?
| Letters | 11: P-A-T-E-R-N-O-S-T-E-R |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4: pa·ter·nos·ter |
| In writing | about once in every 7 million words; the 81,375th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is paternoster?
Paternoster appears about once in every 7 million words in written English, the 81,375th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce paternoster?
- UK /ˈpɑːtəˌnɒstə(ɹ)/
- US /ˈpɑtəɹˌnɔstɚ/
- US /-ˌnɑstɚ/
Paternoster has 4 syllables, split pa·ter·nos·ter in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-paternoster.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of paternoster
- paternosters plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- paternostering participle, present
- paternostered participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does paternoster mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
The Lord's Prayer, especially in a Roman Catholic context.
- 2
A slow, continuously moving lift or elevator consisting of a loop of open-fronted cabins running the height of a building.
- 3
A bead-like ornament in mouldings.
- 4
A tackle rig with a heavy sinker at the end of the line, and one or more hooks on traces at right angles spaced above the sinker.
- 5
archaicA string of beads used in counting prayers that are said.
- 6
archaicEvery eleventh bead in a rosary, at which, while counting the beads, the Lord's Prayer is to be repeated.
Holonyms: rosary; prayer beads
- 7
archaicA medieval artisan who crafted rosary beads or prayer nuts.
- 8
archaicA patent medicine, so named because salesmen would pray the Lord's Prayer over it before selling it.
Near-synonyms: nostrum, nostrum remedium
verb
- 1
To try to catch (fish, etc.) with a paternoster rig.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Paternoster in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense Lord's prayer:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | Notre Père |
| German | Vaterunser, Unservater, Paternoster, Gebet des Herrn, Herrengebet |
| Spanish | paternóster, padrenuestro |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does paternoster come from?
From Middle English paternoster, pater noster, from Old English Paternoster, from Latin Pater noster (“our father”) (the first two words of the Oratio Dominica (“the Lord's prayer”)), from pater (“father”) + noster (“our”). The lift and the fishing equipment are named from their resemblance to a rosary.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).