What does "antiphon" mean?
A devotional chant; a piece of music sung responsively.
Antiphon
/ˈæntɪfən/ name, noun
name, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A devotional chant; a piece of music sung responsively.
- Grammar: antiphon is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: acknowledgment, agnus dei, alleluia, answer.
- Useful contrasts: solo, unison.
- Usage evidence: Father Vaillant came back in his vestments, with his pyx and basin of holy water, and began sprinkling the bed and the watchers, repeating the antiphon, Asperges me, Domine, hyssopo, et mundabor.
How to use "antiphon"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "antiphon" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "antiphon" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "antiphon" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "acknowledgment" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A devotional chant; a piece of music sung responsively.
"Father Vaillant came back in his vestments, with his pyx and basin of holy water, and began sprinkling the bed and the watchers, repeating the antiphon, Asperges me, Domine, hyssopo, et mundabor."
- 2 a verse or song to be chanted or sung in response wordnet
- 3 A response or reply.
"The Clown […] says: ‘And so we wept; and there was the first gentleman-like tears that ever we shed’; to which his father, the Shepherd, adds the comfortable antiphon, ‘We may live, son, to shed many more.’"
Proper Noun
- 1 an Ancient Greek sophist who wrote several philosophical treatises (480 – 411 BCE)
- 2 the brother of Plato
- 3 the earliest of the ten orators, an important figure in fifth-century Athenian political and intellectual life, from Rhamnus
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Father Vaillant came back in his vestments, with his pyx and basin of holy water, and began sprinkling the bed and the watchers, repeating the antiphon, Asperges me, Domine, hyssopo, et mundabor."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "antiphon"?
Common synonyms include: acknowledgment, agnus dei, alleluia, answer, answering, anthem.
How do you use "antiphon" in a sentence?
Father Vaillant came back in his vestments, with his pyx and basin of holy water, and began sprinkling the bed and the watchers, repeating the antiphon, Asperges me, Domine, hyssopo, et mundabor.
How do you pronounce "antiphon"?
Pronounced /ˈæntɪfən/.
Etymology
From French antiphone or Medieval Latin antiphōna, from Ancient Greek ἀντίφωνα (antíphōna, “responses, musical accords”), neuter plural substantive of ἀντίφωνος (antíphōnos, “concordant”) from ἀντί (antí, “in return”) + φωνή (phōnḗ, “sound”). Doublet of anthem.