canticle: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Literary, Ecclesiastical
Quick answer
What does “canticle” mean?
A short hymn or song of praise with a biblical text, used in Christian liturgy.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A short hymn or song of praise with a biblical text, used in Christian liturgy.
Any short, lyrical poem or song, especially one of a religious or devotional nature.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Slightly more likely to be encountered in British ecclesiastical contexts due to the structure of the Anglican liturgy, but this is a minor distinction.
Connotations
Connotes formal worship, traditional liturgy, and high literary or poetic style in both varieties.
Frequency
Very low frequency in everyday language in both regions. It is a specialist term in religious and literary contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “canticle” in a Sentence
canticle of [noun phrase] (e.g., Canticle of the Sun)to sing/chant/recite a canticleVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in theological, religious studies, musicology, and literary criticism contexts.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would mark the speaker as highly educated or religious.
Technical
Specific term in liturgics (the study of worship) and hymnology.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “canticle”
- Misspelling as 'cantacle' or 'canticel'.
- Using it as a synonym for any song, losing the specific religious/formal nuance.
- Incorrect plural: 'canticles' is correct; 'canticle's' is possessive.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While a canticle is a type of song, it specifically refers to a short, lyrical hymn with a sacred or biblical text, used in formal worship or of a devotional literary nature.
Two of the most famous are the 'Magnificat' (Canticle of Mary) and the 'Benedictus' (Canticle of Zechariah) from the Gospel of Luke, used in Christian daily prayer.
It can be used poetically or metaphorically to describe a song-like expression of praise for something secular (e.g., 'a canticle to nature'), but this retains a formal, elevated tone and is quite rare.
In a strict biblical/liturgical context, psalms are the 150 poems from the Book of Psalms. Canticles are other hymn-like passages from elsewhere in the Bible (e.g., from the Gospels or the Book of Isaiah). In broader use, the terms can overlap.
A short hymn or song of praise with a biblical text, used in Christian liturgy.
Canticle is usually formal, literary, ecclesiastical in register.
Canticle: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkantɪk(ə)l/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkæntɪkəl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to this word.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'CANTICLE' as a 'CHANT' you sing in the 'CHAPEL' (CANT-ICLE sounds like 'chant-in-chapel').
Conceptual Metaphor
RELIGIOUS DEVOTION IS A SONG (e.g., 'His life was a canticle to God').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'canticle' MOST appropriately used?