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Added 9 October 2026

grace

/ɡɹeɪs/ noun

In Latin: gratia Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about grace at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Charming, pleasing qualities.
The Princess brought grace to an otherwise dull and boring party.
A short prayer of thanks before or after a meal.
It has become less common to say grace before having dinner.
In the games of patience or solitaire: a special move that is normally against the rules.

verb

To adorn; to decorate; to embellish and dignify.
He graced the room with his presence.
To dignify or raise by an act of favour; to honour.
To supply with heavenly grace.

Origin

From Middle English grace, from Old French grace (modern French grâce), from Latin grātia (“kindness, favour, esteem”), from grātus (“pleasing”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷerH- (“to praise, welcome”); compare grateful. The word displaced the native Middle English held, hield (“grace”) (from Old English held, hyld (“grace”)), Middle English este (“grace, favour, pleasure”) (from Old English ēst (“grace, kindness, favour”)), Middle English athmede(n) (“grace”) (from Old English ēadmēdu (“grace”)), Middle English are, ore (“grace, mercy, honour”) (from Old English ār (“honour, grace, kindness, mercy”)).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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