dirge: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Literary
Quick answer
What does “dirge” mean?
A slow, mournful song, hymn, or piece of music, especially one performed at a funeral or as part of a memorial service.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A slow, mournful song, hymn, or piece of music, especially one performed at a funeral or as part of a memorial service.
Any lament, mournful speech, or piece of writing that expresses grief or sorrow; figuratively, any music, sound, or situation that is drearily slow, monotonous, or saddening.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in definition or usage.
Connotations
Identical connotations in both dialects.
Frequency
Slightly more common in written, literary contexts than in everyday speech in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “dirge” in a Sentence
sing a dirge for [someone]play a dirge on [instrument]sound like a dirgeturn into a dirgeVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “dirge” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The poet dirged the passing of an era in melancholic verse.
- Bagpipes dirged across the misty glen.
American English
- The band dirged through a slow, somber number.
- Critics dirged the film's ponderous pace.
adverb
British English
- The procession moved dirgefully through the rain-swept streets.
- He spoke dirgefully of his regrets.
American English
- The music played dirgefully in the background.
- She sighed dirgefully, looking out the window.
adjective
British English
- The dirge-like tolling of the bell set the mood.
- He read the news in a dirge monotone.
American English
- The meeting took on a dirge quality after the bad announcement.
- Her dirge voice was unsuited for the cheerful commercial.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used. Might appear metaphorically: 'The quarterly report was a dirge for our failed expansion plans.'
Academic
Used in literature, musicology, history, and cultural studies when discussing funeral rites, elegiac poetry, or music.
Everyday
Uncommon. Used for exaggeration: 'This weather is so gloomy, it feels like a dirge.'
Technical
In music, a specific type of mournful composition, often in a slow triple meter.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “dirge”
- Pronouncing it as /daɪrdʒ/ (like 'dirge' with a long 'i').
- Using it to describe any sad song without the element of slowness and mourning.
- Misspelling as 'didge' or 'dirdge'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily, but it is commonly extended metaphorically to any slow, sad, or mournful speech, writing, or even atmosphere.
A 'dirge' is a musical or sung lament, often for the dead. An 'elegy' is a poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead. A 'requiem' is specifically a Mass for the dead in the Catholic tradition, or a musical composition setting such a Mass to music.
Extremely rarely. Its core meaning is mournful, so any positive use would be highly ironic or unusual.
No, it is a mid-frequency word more common in literary, formal, or descriptive contexts than in casual conversation.
A slow, mournful song, hymn, or piece of music, especially one performed at a funeral or as part of a memorial service.
Dirge is usually formal, literary in register.
Dirge: in British English it is pronounced /dɜːdʒ/, and in American English it is pronounced /dɜːrdʒ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A dirge for [something] (used figuratively to mark the end or failure of something).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
DIRGE sounds like 'urge to cry at a funeral'.
Conceptual Metaphor
SADNESS IS SLOW, HEAVY MUSIC (e.g., 'His speech was a dirge for lost hopes').
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'dirge' be LEAST appropriate?