/lit"n ee/ , n. , pl. litanies .
1. a ceremonial or liturgical form of prayer consisting of a series of invocations or supplications with responses that are the same for a number in succession.
2. the Litany , the supplication in this form in the Book of Common Prayer.
3. a recitation or recital that resembles a litany.
4. a prolonged or tedious account: We heard the whole litany of their complaints.
[ bef. 900; litania litaneía litany, Gk: an entreating, equiv. to litan- (s. of litaínein, var. of LITANE EIN to pray) + -eia -Y3 ; r. ME letanie, OE letania ]
Syn. 4. list, catalog, enumeration.