noun
collect
A short formal prayer in a church service.
The priest reads a collect at the start of worship.
Etymology
Latin collecta meant a gathering. A collect is the concise prayer voiced for the assembled congregation, bringing its common petition into one formal utterance.
More examples
- Today's collect asks God to guide our decisions.
- The congregation responds with amen after the collect.
- The prayer book includes collects for different church seasons.
Forms
collect · collects
Similar words
- prayer
- Broader term for addressing God, formally or informally.
- invocation
- Specifically calls for divine presence or help, often at openings.