responsory
Americannoun
-
responsories
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of responsory
1375–1425; late Middle English < Late Latin respōnsōrium, equivalent to Latin respond ( ēre ) to respond + -tōrium -tory 2, with dt > s
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Dynamics were also crucial: When Jesus cried out on the cross in the “Tenebrae” responsory, “exclamavit” was startlingly loud; his death, “emisit spiritum,” was barely audible.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2025
Two versicles of responsory next, and then the Mother Superior began to intone the Magnificat, and Sister Giovanna took up the grand plain-chant with the others.
From The White Sister by F. Marion (Francis Marion) Crawford
Every now and then Mrs. Anna had a new request; to-day a responsory, to-morrow a motet, the day after a mass, then hymns, then psalms, then antiphons; and all gratis.
From The Love Affairs of Great Musicians, Volume 1 by Rupert Hughes
In this responsory the versicle Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris is sometimes changed, e.g., in paschal time it is, Qui surrexisti a mortuis.
From The Divine Office by Edward J. Quigley
The ferial preces of Lauds are found in the Breviary, immediately after the second set of Psalms for ferial Lauds and after the short responsory in the psalm arrangements for the days of the week.
From The Divine Office by Edward J. Quigley
At the heart of the Good Friday and Holy Saturday sections were four responsories from Carlo Gesualdo’s 1611 collection for Holy Week.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2025
Named for one of his earliest pieces, the album offers a version of the “Dorian” Short Service, hymns and responsories: beauty everywhere, and a few startling harmonic turns.
From New York Times ● Sep. 9, 2015
The piece takes its title, brooding atmosphere and most important thematic source from Gesualdo, using material from one of his responsories for Maundy Thursday.
From The Guardian ● Jan. 10, 2013
This English a cappella choir will also sing a handful of Victoria motets and responsories.
From New York Times ● Mar. 25, 2011
In the new Breviary the responsories to the lessons have been restored to their place of honour.
From The Divine Office by Edward J. Quigley
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
