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Petition vs Prayer - What's the difference?

petition | prayer |

As nouns the difference between petition and prayer

is that petition is a formal, written request made to an official person or organized body, often containing many signatures while prayer is a practice of communicating with one's God.

As a verb petition

is to make a request, commonly in written form.

petition

English

(wikipedia petition)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A formal, written request made to an official person or organized body, often containing many signatures.
  • A compilation of signatures built in order to exert moral authority in support of a specific cause.
  • (legal) A formal written request for judicial action.
  • A prayer; a supplication; an entreaty.
  • * Bible, 1. Macc. vii. 37
    • A house of prayer and petition for thy people.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make a request, commonly in written form.

    • prayer

    English

    (wikipedia prayer)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A practice of communicating with one's God.
  • The act of praying.
  • * , chapter=5
    • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=Then everybody once more knelt, and soon the blessing was pronounced. The choir and the clergy trooped out slowly, […], down the nave to the western door. […] At a seemingly immense distance the surpliced group stopped to say the last prayer .}}
  • The specific words or methods used for praying.
  • A meeting held for the express purpose of praying.
  • A request; a petition.
    • Synonyms
    * orison, precation
    Derived terms
    * not have a prayer * prayer book * prayer meeting * friday prayer * prayer wheel

    Etymology 2

    (pray).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • One who prays.
    • Yep, Grandpa is a real prayer all right.