French word

ex-voto

Pronunciation

IPA/ɛksvoto/

Meaning

  • masculine nounvotive offering

Example

Elle a laissé un ex-voto devant la statue.

She left a votive offering in front of the statue.

Illustration for ex-voto (votive offering)

More examples

Après son vœu, elle a déposé un ex-voto.

After her vow, she placed an ex voto.

Core concept

A painted panel, plaque, or figurine left near a sacred image as a visible sign of a personal appeal or thanks.

Similar words

offrande: An object offered to a god or saint during a religious ritual.

Definition in French

Petite offrande votive, souvent une peinture, une plaque ou une statuette, laissée devant une image sacrée en signe de reconnaissance ou de supplication.

Word origin

The French noun ex-voto is borrowed from Latin ex voto, a phrase for something offered because of a vow.

Usage tips

  • In French, ex-voto is pronounced with the initial ex sounding like egz, not like the English letter name X.

Other meanings

  • votive paintingnoun
  • votive statuenoun

Word lists with this word