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letanía

litany

noun leh-tah-NEE-ah Rare
Communication Language

Origin: From Greek litaneia ('prayer, entreaty'), via Latin and ecclesiastical use.

Also means

tedious list

Usage Note

Letanía originally referred to a form of liturgical prayer with repeated responses, still used in Catholic worship. In everyday speech it has extended to mean any long, monotonous list or string of complaints — una letanía de quejas ('a litany of complaints'). The figurative sense carries a notably negative, weary tone.

Examples

"Me soltó una letanía de excusas."

Natural Translation

He gave me a whole litany of excuses.

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