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gospel music
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noun
a now popularized form of impassioned rhythmic spiritual music rooted in the solo and responsive church singing of rural African Americans in the South, central to the development of rhythm and blues and of soul music.
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
Question 1 of 7
In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
Also called gospel.
Origin of gospel music
First recorded in 1950–55
Words nearby gospel music
go so far as to, go south, gospel, gospeler, gospeller, gospel music, gospel oath, Gospels, gospel side, gospel truth, Gosplan
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use gospel music in a sentence
Cultural definitions for gospel music
gospel music
Intense, joyful music that is associated with evangelists (see evangelical) in the South, especially among African-Americans. Gospel had a strong influence on many rock 'n' roll singers. Well-known gospel artists include Mahalia Jackson and the Dixie Hummingbirds.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.