1
: a choir leader : precentor
2
: a synagogue official who sings or chants liturgical music and leads the congregation in prayer
Did you know?
The cantor is, after the rabbi, the most important figure in a Jewish worship service. A cantor not only must possess an excellent singing voice but also must know by heart long passages of Hebrew. Cantors such as Jan Peerce and Richard Tucker became international opera stars. The comedian and singer Edward Israel Iskowitz renamed himself Eddie Cantor for his original profession and became enormously popular on stage, screen, radio, and television for over 40 years.
Examples of cantor in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Tears well in the eyes of those who dare to look at her as the cantor’s acapella vibrato fills the sanctuary.
—
Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Among the parents challenging the law are two Jewish rabbis, a Jewish cantor, a Presbyterian reverend and a Baptist pastor.
—Jenna Sundel
gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
Rabbis and cantors at Adath Jeshurun Congregation, a large synagogue in suburban Minneapolis, can now offer blessings, teachings and music during wedding ceremonies for intermarrying couples, as long as the ceremonies do not feature rituals from religions other than Judaism.
—Asaf Elia-Shalev, Sun Sentinel, 7 July 2025
In 1933, Berg ran what amounted to a Very Special Episode: a full Seder, sung by a real cantor, which Pepsodent, her sponsor, agreed to air without ads.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cantor
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Among the parents challenging the law are two Jewish rabbis, a Jewish cantor, a Presbyterian reverend and a Baptist pastor.
—Jenna Sundel
gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
Rabbis and cantors at Adath Jeshurun Congregation, a large synagogue in suburban Minneapolis, can now offer blessings, teachings and music during wedding ceremonies for intermarrying couples, as long as the ceremonies do not feature rituals from religions other than Judaism.
—Asaf Elia-Shalev, Sun Sentinel, 7 July 2025
In 1933, Berg ran what amounted to a Very Special Episode: a full Seder, sung by a real cantor, which Pepsodent, her sponsor, agreed to air without ads.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cantor
Cite this Entry
“Cantor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cantor. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share