cantata
Americannoun
-
a choral composition, either sacred and resembling a short oratorio or secular, as a lyric drama set to music but not to be acted.
-
a metrical narrative set to recitative or alternate recitative and air, usually for a single voice accompanied by one or more instruments.
noun
Etymology
Origin of cantata
1715–25; < Italian, equivalent to cant ( are ) to sing ( cant 1 ) + -ata -ate 1
Explanation
If you ever listen to classical music, you’ve probably heard a cantata — a piece of religious music made for voices and instruments. Johann Sebastian Bach was a famous composer of cantatas. He wrote hundreds, and you’ve probably heard them played at weddings, in a church, at a party thrown by a king (or in car commercials). The word comes from the Italian cantare, which means “sing,” and the singers are the focus of a cantata — whether it’s one person or a whole choir. Cantatas are often based on religious writing, but can be inspired by poetry and literature as well.
Vocabulary lists containing cantata
Ordinary Hazards
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Blended
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Abel's Island
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The cantata is based on a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow that tells the tale of an Ojibwe warrior in what is now Michigan.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025
In 2004, a Bach cantata that had been lost for decades was rediscovered in the papers of Japanese pianist Chieko Hara.
From Barron's • Nov. 17, 2025
The 12-hour performance includes three movements: an hourlong live chamber music performance; a 10-hour immersive experience with prerecorded compositions, intermittent live music and projections; and an hourlong cantata.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 3, 2023
Legendary choreographer George Balanchine’s “Allegro Brillante” kicked off the evening; PNB Founding Artistic Director Kent Stowell’s epic 1993 creation “Carmina Burana,” set to Carl Orff’s popular cantata, ended the night with a crowd-pleasing exclamation mark.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 26, 2022
He waited, and to keep himself amused, he hummed snatches of his favorite cantata and imagined how he would narrate his adventures.
From "Abel's Island" by William Steig
Definitions 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.
