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

There was a church near the byre, but Gl�mr never crossed the threshold; he hated psalmody; apparently he was an indifferent Christian.

From A Book of Ghosts by Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)

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

"She has arranged that a considerable portion of it should be read, and with pious mind considered by all her ministers in the daily office of the sacred psalmody."

From Chapters of Bible Study A Popular Introduction to the Study of the Sacred Scriptures by Heuser, Herman J.

He open’d, as we went, his dreadful mouth, Fit for no sweeter psalmody; and shouted After us, in the words of some strange tongue, Ràfel ma-èe amech zabèe almee!—

From English Critical Essays Nineteenth Century by Jones, Edmund David

The nasal psalmody, full of turns and trills and graceless graces, seemed the essential voice of the kirk itself upraised in thanksgiving.

From The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. XIX (of 25) The Ebb-Tide; Weir of Hermiston by Stevenson, Robert Louis