plainchant

American  

[pleyn-chant, -chahnt] / ˈpleɪnˌtʃænt, -ˌtʃɑnt /

noun

1. plainsong.

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plainchant British  

/ ˈpleɪnˌtʃɑːnt /

noun

1. another name for plainsong

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Etymology

Origin of plainchant

1720–30; plain ¹ + chant, modeled on French plain-chant

Example Sentences

Each section—crucifixion, burial and resurrection—began with plainchant and continued with more elaborate settings of those and other sacred texts on the subjects.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 4, 2025

The vocal settings are plain as well, with qualities again of Glass and Satie, along with hints of Robert Ashley, Broadway, elemental pop song and plainchant.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 15, 2021

“Partita for 8 Voices” is a pattern book of vocal styles: its movements are stitched together from plainchant, percussive breathing, Early American hymnody, and half a dozen other techniques.

From The New Yorker • Feb. 4, 2019

But the core of its repertory was medieval music in which, in plainchant passages, the four women’s voices seemed to melt together into one silky, unison line.

From New York Times • Jan. 20, 2016

This version has the basic plainchant as normal, but instead of adding another line following its contours like the parallel train tracks, the new additional line stays put.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall