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Glite Dictionary
doxology

doxology

1 9.9
A short song in Christian worship that praises God
  • noun
  • /ˌdɑkˈsɑlədʒi/
  • Specialized
translation icon : doxología
  • Lula and Lila ran through a litany of spirituals, the Doxology, and the Gloria Patri twice, and what sounded like the theme to "Godspell."

Examples

  • The boys were relieved when the sermon finally ended, and they sang the doxology.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • We're going to do the Doxology.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • All the eucharistic prayers in today's Roman Rite, Congar noted, end with this doxology: "Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honour is yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever."

    Academic text (2001)

  • During the church service, the congregation joyfully sang the doxology to praise God.

  • At the end of the worship service, the choir led the church in a beautiful doxology.

  • Every Sunday, the pastor encourages everyone to participate in singing the doxology after the sermon.

Surface Forms

doxology singular
doxologies plural

Morphology

doxology = doxo + logy

Although the word is historically built from Greek elements, those parts are not productive or transparent to most English learners, so the meaning 'a hymn of praise' is not recoverable from the form.

Etymology

Doxology comes from Greek parts doxa meaning 'glory' and logos meaning 'word' or 'speech'. So a doxology is literally a 'word of glory', which is why it means a short hymn or verse that praises God.