Psalmody

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈsɑː.mə.di/

Definitions

1. The tradition of performing religious songs, often during services, consists of vocal expressions meant to enhance spiritual connection and convey themes of devotion
2. The act or practice of singing or chanting psalms as a form of religious worship
3. A form of musical expression involving vocal renditions of sacred songs from the Psalter

Etymology: The Greek compound "psalmōidia" was built from two older words: "psalmos," meaning a plucked-string song or a sacred song, and "ōidē," meaning song or ode. The first element came from "psallein," to pluck or twang a stringed instrument, so the original sense was closer to accompanied music than to the unaccompanied chanting we now picture. Early Christian writers in the Greek-speaking East used the term for the singing of the biblical psalms, and the Latin form "psalmodia" carried that sense into the Western church. English borrowed the word through Latin, and it was used for the singing of psalms in worship. The word stayed closely tied to liturgy, and its everyday use remains almost entirely religious.

Synonyms: chanting, singing, hymnody, music, melody