/ves"peuhr/ , n.
1. ( cap. ) the evening star, esp. Venus; Hesper.
2. Also called vesper bell . a bell rung at evening.
3. vespers , ( sometimes cap. ) Eccles.
a. a religious service in the late afternoon or the evening.
b. the sixth of the seven canonical hours, or the service for it, occurring in the late afternoon or the evening.
c. Rom. Cath. Ch. a part of the office to be said in the evening by those in major orders, frequently made a public ceremony in the afternoons or evenings of Sundays and holy days.
d. evensong.
4. Archaic. evening.
adj.
5. of, pertaining to, appearing in, or proper to the evening.
6. of or pertaining to vespers.
[ 1350-1400; ME, partly vespres evening service vesperas, acc. pl. of L vespera, fem. var. of vesper; c. Gk hésperos; akin to WEST ]