c. 1200, from Old French letanie and directly from Medieval Latin letania, Late Latin litania (source also of Spanish letania, Italian litania), from Greek litaneia "litany, an entreating," from lite "prayer, supplication, entreaty," of unknown origin. From notion of monotonous enumeration of petitions in Christian prayer services came generalized sense of "repeated series," early 19c., borrowed from French.
For those who know the Greek words, a litany is a series of prayers, a liturgy is a canon of public service; the latter in practice includes prayer, but does not say so. [Fowler]
实用例句
1. a litany of complaints
喋喋不休的抱怨
来自《权威词典》
2. She remained in the doorway, listening to his litany of complaints against her client.
她站在门口，听他喋喋不休地抱怨她的客户。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Dr. Middleton bowed to the litany.
弥得尔顿博士对这种连祷俯首贴耳.
来自辞典例句
4. The mournful litany of disease is caused by sewage.