English Explanatory Dictionary

chant

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To sing, especially without instruments, and as applied to monophonic and pre-modern music.
  2. To sing or intone sacred text.
  3. To utter or repeat in a strongly rhythmical manner, especially as a group.
  4. To sell horses fraudulently, exaggerating their merits.
noun
  1. Type of singing done generally without instruments and harmony.
  2. A short and simple melody to which unmetrical psalms, etc., are sung or recited.
  3. A harmonized melody used in Anglican chant, usually split into two two-bar phrases, to which the words of a psalm are sung by a choir; typically, each musical phrase corresponds to the text of half of a verse.
  4. Twang; manner of speaking; a canting tone.
  5. A repetitive song, typically an incantation or part of a ritual.
name
  1. A surname from French.

Pronunciation

/t͡ʃɑːnt/ /t͡ʃænt/ en-us-chant.ogg

Word forms

chant chants chanting chanted chaunt

Etymology

From Middle English chaunten, from Old French chanter, from Latin cantāre (“sing”). Doublet of cant.

Related words

cant cantor cantorate cantrix chant de cour chanter enchant Gregorian chant incantation Ramayana monkey chant

Derived words

chantable chanting goshawk rechant unchanted Ambrosian chant Anglican chant chantlike chant royal chant talk chant therapy fanchant Jody chant Milanese chant plainchant terrace chant
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