Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The act or practice of singing psalms in divine worship.
  • noun The composition or arranging of psalms for singing.
  • noun A collection of psalms.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To hymn; celebrate in psalms.
  • noun The art, act, or practice of singing psalms or hymns as a part of worship.
  • noun Psalms collectively, especially in the form of metrical versions prepared for liturgical use.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The act, practice, or art of singing psalms or sacred songs; also, psalms collectively, or a collection of psalms.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun music, uncountable The singing or the writing of psalms.
  • noun music, countable A collection of psalms.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the act of singing psalms or hymns

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English psalmodie, from Late Latin psalmōdia, from Greek psalmōidiā, singing to the harp : psalmos, psalm; see psalm + ōidē, aoidē, song; see ode.]

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Examples

  • He was also an expert in psalmody, having in his youth been the pride of the village singing school.

    Oldtown Folks 1869

  • But, whereas many scriptures in the New Testament keep up singing as a gospel-ordinance, none provide for the keeping up of music and dancing; the gospel-canon for psalmody is to sing with the spirit and with the understanding.

    Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume III (Job to Song of Solomon) 1721

  • The pomp of processions, the sound of bells or of psalmody, is interdicted in their worship; a decent reverence for the national faith is imposed on their sermons and conversations; and the sacrilegious attempt to enter a mosch, or to seduce a Mussulman, will not be suffered to escape with impunity.

    The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire 1206

  • It differed from song as much as the declamation — barely coloured by imperceptible modulations — of Boris Godounov and Pelléas; but on the other hand recalled the psalmody of a priest chanting his office of which these street scenes are but the good-humoured, secular, and yet half liturgical counterpart.

    The Captive 2003

  • The theme of the workshop will be study of Gregorian chant neums and stylistic performance technique as applied to the repertoire of the monastic office (psalmody, antiphons, responsories, etc.).

    More Gregorian Chant - Italia! 2009

  • Hymns, then, properly belong to the Liturgy of the Hours, while sung dialogues, antiphons, psalmody, and acclamations belong to the Mass.

    Fr. Kirby Weighs in: Hymns vs. Propers 2009

  • Afterward, private study in small groups (psalmody), and private voice lessons can be scheduled with Christopher & Theresia free time

    More Gregorian Chant - Italia! 2009

  • The tract is direct psalmody — the singing of successive verses of a psalm without refrain, and it is sung in alternation by two halves of the choir.

    What We Learn from Music 2009

  • Broad themes are discussed, such as the Divine Office and the Mass, but also detailed subjects such as psalmody, cantillation, modes, and pivotal chant manuscripts.

    Book Notice: Gregorian Chant: A Guide to the History and Liturgy 2009

  • [A] divine fire coming down visibly, with a terrible noise, from heaven upon the holy community of sisters while they were praising God in their psalmody.

    Sensual Encounters: Monastic Women and Spirituality in Medieval Germany 2008

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