dirge

dirge

noun \ˈdərj\

Definition of DIRGE

1

: a song or hymn of grief or lamentation; especially : one intended to accompany funeral or memorial rites

2

: a slow, solemn, and mournful piece of music

3

: something (as a poem) that has the qualities of a dirge

— dirge·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective

Examples of DIRGE

1. <bagpipes played a haunting dirge at the funeral for the fallen leader>

Origin of DIRGE

Middle English dirige, the Office of the Dead, from the first word of a Late Latin antiphon, from Latin, imperative of dirigere to direct — more at dress

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to DIRGE

Synonyms: lament, elegy, requiem, threnody

Related Words: taps; elegiac (also elegiacal), monody

Near Antonyms: encomium, eulogy, paean, panegyric

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Other Music Terms

cacophony, chorister, concerto, counterpoint, madrigal, obbligato, presto, presto, refrain, riff, segue