to cantillate
- verb
- /ˈkæn.tɪ.leɪt/
- Specialized
- During the service, the priest cantillated the psalms in a melodic tone.
Examples
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The rabbi cantillated the blessing, filling the synagogue with solemn music.
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Can you cantillate that verse for us?
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Students were taught how to cantillate passages from ancient scriptures.
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They cantillate the psalms during the service.
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During the service, the priest cantillated the psalms in a melodic tone.
-
The rabbi cantillated the blessing, filling the synagogue with solemn music.
-
Students were taught how to cantillate passages from ancient scriptures.
Synonyms
To make musical sounds with your voice
To sing or say the same words again and again with a steady beat, often with others
Say words slowly in a steady, sometimes flat or musical voice
To speak or chant with a regular, rhythmic rise and fall
To sing religious songs from the Bible during worship
Say words in a musical or serious tone
To sing praise, often in a religious service
How Musical
Surface Forms
Morphology
cantillate = cantillation (semi-transparent) = cantill + ate
The suffix '-ate' clearly forms a verb meaning 'to perform X', but the stem 'cantill-' is a Latin-derived combining form not common in modern English, so learners may not reliably infer the exact meaning though it is related to 'chant' or 'cantor'.
Etymology
Cantillate comes from the Latin root cant- meaning 'to sing', the same root you see in chant and cantor. So to cantillate is to sing or recite words, especially prayers or psalms, in a musical, chanting way.