Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1300-1400
Language: Latin
Origin: ritus

rite

 noun
     
Related topics: Religion
rite [countable]
1RR a ceremony that is always performed in the same way, usually for religious purposes [↪ ritual]:
funeral rites
ancient fertility rites
These traditional rites are performed only by the women of the village.
2

rite of passage

SSY a special ceremony or action that is a sign of a new stage in someone's life, especially when a boy starts to become a man [↪ coming of age]
3

last rites

MX final prayers or religious ceremonies for someone who is dying:
A priest came to give him the last rites.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
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