motet

American  

[moh-tet] / moʊˈtɛt /

noun

Music.

1. a vocal composition in polyphonic style, on a Biblical or similar prose text, intended for use in a church service.

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motet British  

/ məʊˈtɛt /

noun

1. a polyphonic choral composition used as an anthem in the Roman Catholic service

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Etymology

Origin of motet

1350–1400; Middle English < Middle French; see mot, -et

Example Sentences

The focus is on the Virgin Mary’s special role in the Nativity story, as in a new arrangement of a Renaissance motet by the Portuguese Vicente Lusitano, the first known, published Black composer.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 14, 2023

The only intimation of death came at the end from “Ave Verum Corpus,” a consolatory motet so brief that it could be called a motetlet.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 2, 2017

He began with Josquin’s “Ave Christie,” a four-voice motet, as reset for piano in 1988 by the composer Charles Wuorinen.

From New York Times • Dec. 16, 2016

The choir also will sing several motets spanning the Renaissance through modern periods, including a Magnificat by Hieronymous Praetorius and a motet by local composer Leo Nestor.

From Washington Post • Mar. 13, 2015

This motet is a reasonably long one for the period, and so he also moves the ‘home’ of the music to new places during the piece, returning at the very end to where he started.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall