1. (n.)Kyrie eleison the brief petition or response beginning with the words “Lord, have mercy” used in various offices of the Greek Orthodox Church, Anglican Church, and RomanCatholicChurch.
Etymology: (1300–50; ME kyrieleyson < ML, LL Kyrie eleīson < LGk Kýrie eléēson Lord, have mercy)
1. Kyrie eleison means "Lord havemercy upon us," and with Christe Eleison, "Christ havemercy upon us," occurs in all Greek liturgies, in the Roman Mass, and in the EnglishPrayer Book, where it forms the "lesser litany."
Definitions of Kyrie eleison 
