1
: consisting of or expressing a vow, wish, or desire
a votive prayer
2
: offered or performed in fulfillment of a vow or in gratitude or devotion
votively
adverb
votiveness
noun
plural votives
: a short thick candle used especially as a prayer offering or for decoration : votive candle
… I will light a votive for those who need affordable housing and pray their needs are met.—
Mary Pat Rowland
Mary Pat RowlandA simple picture-propping shelf can display votives and flowers.—Nancy Sotomayor
compare vigil light
Nancy SotomayorExamples of votive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebThe Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 20 June 2024
These types of ancient Roman altars, sometimes referred to as votive altars, were intended to stand upright and serve as an offering site, the society said.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 17 June 2024
Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 3 July 2024
The group then entered the Wintergarten restaurant to find one long rectangular table running the length of the dining room, covered with moss, votives, florals, and cherry-blossom arrangements.
—Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 3 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for votive 
Adjective
The votive altar dates to the 1st century CE, from the Roman period, and experts believe it was dedicated to Larrahe, an ancient Basque deity.
—The Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 20 June 2024
These types of ancient Roman altars, sometimes referred to as votive altars, were intended to stand upright and serve as an offering site, the society said.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 17 June 2024
Noun
They were then led inside for dinner at the Wintergarten, where one long table was set and decorated with moss, votives, florals and cherry blossom arrangements.
—Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 3 July 2024
The group then entered the Wintergarten restaurant to find one long rectangular table running the length of the dining room, covered with moss, votives, florals, and cherry-blossom arrangements.
—Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 3 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for votive
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'votive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Votive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/votive. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
votive
adjective
vo·tive
ˈvōt-iv 
: consisting of or expressing a vow, wish, or desire
a votive prayer
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