psalmody

noun

psalm·​o·​dy ˈsä-mə-dē How to pronounce psalmody (audio)
ˈsäl-,
ˈsȯ-,
ˈsȯl How to pronounce psalmody (audio)
1
: the act, practice, or art of singing psalms in worship
2
: a collection of psalms

Examples of psalmody in a Sentence

a psalmody containing many beloved hymns
Recent Examples on the Web Most important, Sarr wants to arrange a complete psalmody in Wolof. Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'psalmody.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English psalmodie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin psalmodia, from Late Greek psalmōidia, literally, singing to the harp, from Greek psalmos + aidein to sing — more at ode

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of psalmody was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near psalmody

Cite this Entry

“Psalmody.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psalmody. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

psalmody

noun
psalm·​o·​dy ˈsäm-əd-ē How to pronounce psalmody (audio) ˈsäl-məd- How to pronounce psalmody (audio)
plural psalmodies
1
: the art or practice of singing psalms in worship
2
: a collection of psalms

More from Merriam-Webster on psalmody

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!