Devotional

Devotional describes practices, acts, and writings intended to cultivate religious devotion and personal piety. It derives from Latin devotus and devotio, entering English via medieval usage; in modern English, the noun devotional can refer to a devotional object, a devotional practice, or devotional literature.

Practices include daily prayer, meditation, reading sacred texts, contemplation, and ritual acts performed in private or communal settings. Objects associated with devotion, such as prayer beads, rosaries, icons, crucifixes, prayer cards, or liturgical vestments, facilitate these activities. Devotional literature comprises writings intended to inspire piety and reflect on sacred themes, including meditations, reflections, and guided prayers.

In Christianity, devotional life often centers on personal prayer routines and daily devotionals; in Islam, devotional practices include remembrance of God (dhikr) and supplication (dua); in Hinduism and Jainism, bhakti-based practices and puja can be described as devotional. Across traditions, devotional life emphasizes reverence, gratitude, and obedience, sometimes oriented toward a particular deity, saint, or sacred principle.

In modern usage, devotional can describe both religious and secular contexts, such as daily devotionals delivered in print or digital formats, used to promote reflection or moral focus unrelated to a specific faith. Critics note that devotionals sometimes emphasize inspirational tone over doctrinal content.

Related topics include devotional literature, liturgy, prayer, and religious practice.