antiphon

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A single voice is heard singing the beautiful antiphon, as the short piece which ushers in the Miserere is called; the sweet notes die away into silence--a silence so profound that the listener hardly dares to breathe lest he should disturb it.

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Definitions (6)

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  1. noun A devotional composition sung responsively as part of a liturgy.
  2. noun A short liturgical text chanted or sung responsively preceding or following a psalm, psalm verse, or canticle.
  3. noun Such a text formerly used as a response but now rendered independently.

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Examples (50)

  • A single voice is heard singing the antiphon, or short introduction,—and then comes silence, a silence so profound that the listener scarcely dares to breathe for fear of disturbing it. —  The World's Great Men of Music
  • The antiphon for the Magnificat of second Vespers summarizes the threefold significance of the day in words that are unmistakable: "Three miracles glorify this sacred day: today the star led the Magi to the crib; today at the wedding feast water was changed into wine; today Christ willed that John baptize Him in the Jordan so that He might become our Redeemer, Alleluia." —  Pro Ecclesia * Pro Familia * Pro Civitate
  • Every evening after supper, the monks at the abbey gathered together for the antiphon. —  infoplease - Daily Almanac
  • O Root of JesseHere follows the third of the O Antiphons with Scriptures, Latin and English texts of the antiphon, a Latin hy ... —  ProLifeBlogs
  • In addition, we sang motets before Mass and ended with the recessional as the Marian antiphon for Lent, Ave Regina Caelorum, which the crowd sang with great gusto. —  New Liturgical Movement
 

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Etymologies (1)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Late Latin antiphōna, sung responses; see anthem.
 

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/ˈæntɪfɑn/
by American Heritage

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