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🎶 Alternating music 📖 A music book
antiphonal

antiphonal

9.9
A church book with short songs or responses used in singing
  • noun
  • /ˌæn.tɪˈfoʊ.nəl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : antifonario
  • Each monk was given an antiphonal to follow during the chanting of the prayers.

Examples

  • The choir director removed the old antiphonal from the shelf to prepare for the evening service.

  • Rare manuscripts, including a richly illuminated antiphonal, were on display at the museum.

  • The antiphonal has beautiful illustrations!

  • The antiphonal was a gift from the bishop.

  • Each monk was given an antiphonal to follow during the chanting of the prayers.

  • The choir director removed the old antiphonal from the shelf to prepare for the evening service.

  • Rare manuscripts, including a richly illuminated antiphonal, were on display at the museum.

Synonyms

antiphonary
vsantiphonal
  • Specialized
9.9

A book of short church chants used during services

has identical meaning but is an alternative name or form used in some traditions

Surface Forms

antiphonal singular
antiphonals plural

Morphology

antiphonal = antiphon (opaque) = antiphon + al

The word is built from 'antiphon' + '-al', but the specialized noun meaning 'a book of antiphons' is not straightforwardly predictable from the base.

Etymology

Antiphonal comes from Greek parts anti- 'opposite' and phon- 'voice', the same root you see in phone for 'sound'. A helpful way to remember the noun is that an antiphonal is a book of songs used for 'call-and-response' singing in church, where voices answer each other.