psalmody

American  

[sah-muh-dee, sal-muh-] / ˈsɑ mə di, ˈsæl mə- /

noun

plural

psalmodies

1. the act, practice, or art of setting psalms to music.

2. psalms or hymns collectively.

3. the act, practice, or art of singing psalms.

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psalmody British  

/ ˈsɑːmədɪ, sɑːˈmɒdɪk, sæl-, ˈsæl- /

noun

1. the act of singing psalms or hymns

2. the art or practice of the setting to music or singing of psalms

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Other Word Forms

• psalmodial adjective
• psalmodic adjective
• psalmodical adjective
• psalmodist noun

Etymology

Origin of psalmody

1300–50; Middle English < Late Latin psalmōdia < Greek psalmōidía singing to the harp. See psalm, ode, -y ³

Example Sentences

Moreover, they had in the synagogue besides their psalmody a system of Bible readings, confined, of course, to the Old Testament Scriptures.

From A Short History of the Book of Common Prayer by Huntington, William Reed

The Puritan editors of this first attempt at American psalmody cared no more for poetic effect than did their brother versifiers across the waters.

From The Story of Our Hymns by Ryden, Ernest Edwin

The Liszt pupils have had their say, and their pupils are beginning to intone the psalmody of uncritical praise.

From Franz Liszt by Huneker, James

Precentor, pre-sen′tor, n. he that leads in music: the leader of a choir in a cathedral, &c.: the leader of the psalmody in Scotch churches.—n.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various

The doleful psalmody in the neighboring ground broke abruptly.

From Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Volume 2, No. 12, May, 1851. by Various