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Glite Dictionary
Purcell

Purcell

2 8.6
An English composer and organist from the 1600s who is famous for church and theatre music
  • proper noun
  • /ˈpɜrˌsɛl/
: Purcell
  • Many consider Purcell's music to be a cornerstone of English Baroque composition.
  • Henry Purcell

Examples

  • Henry Purcell was a renowned composer known for his beautiful choral works.

  • Father Edward Purcell, who saw the merger as potentially strengthening Catholic education.

    Academic text (2005)

  • Here is Purcell's theme played by the whole orchestra together.

    Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

  • Henry Purcell.

    Stealth (2005)

  • Now, Mr. Britten arranges the Purcell theme for the string family.

    Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

  • The silver came from the Purcells, cousins of Mama's.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • The Ramblers were led by sophomore Laura Purcell, who had 15 kills on a .520 hitting percentage.

    Blog text (7)

  • The music of Purcell continues to influence composers and performers today.

Surface Forms

Purcell main

Etymology

Purcell probably comes from an old French word pourcel meaning 'piglet' or 'young pig', so the name started as a nickname for someone small or who kept pigs and later became a family name.