Grace Names a Prayer, a Delay and a Quality
Grace is elegance of movement or divine favour. It also names the prayer before a meal and a period of extra time.
Grace is elegance of movement, courteous good will, or divine favour freely given. Two everyday uses come straight from the religious one: *saying grace* is a prayer of thanks before eating, and a *grace period* is extra time granted as a favour rather than a right. Both treat grace as something given without being earned, which is the theological definition. The Latin root *gratia*, favour, also gives *gratitude*, *gratis* and *congratulate*.
- Elegance. *She moves with grace.*
- Divine favour. *By the grace of God.*
- A prayer before eating. *Say grace.*
- Grace period — extra time. *A ten-day grace period.*
- Gracious — courteous. *A gracious host.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | grace | Natural grace. |
| Plural | graces | Social graces. |
| Verb | grace | Grace us. |
| Adjective | graceful | A graceful turn. |
| Latin | gratia | Favour, thanks. |
- She accepted defeat with grace.Manner.
- They said grace before eating.Prayer.
- The bill has a grace period.Finance.
The gratia family
- Grace — favour freely given
- Gratitude — the response to it
- Gratis — free of charge
- Congratulate — to wish joy with someone
- Ingratiate — to work oneself into favour
Old French *grace*, from Latin *gratia*, favour or thanks, from *gratus*, pleasing or grateful.
What is a grace period?
Extra time allowed after a deadline before penalties apply, granted as a concession rather than a right.
Why is the prayer before a meal called grace?
It gives thanks for food received as a gift, using the sense of grace as unearned favour.