sursum corda

American

[soor-soom kawr-dah, kohr-] / ˈsʊər sʊm ˈkɔr dɑ, ˈkoʊr- /

noun

Ecclesiastical.

the words “Lift up your hearts,” addressed by the celebrant of the Mass to the congregation just before the preface.

sursum corda British

/ ˈsɜːsəm ˈkɔːdə /

noun

RC Church a Latin versicle meaning Lift up your hearts, said by the priest at Mass
a cry of exhortation, hope, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of sursum corda

Borrowed into English from Latin around 1550–60

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

However, sursum corda; faint heart never writ romance.

From Project Gutenberg

Christian! would thou indeed reduce this affection under just controul—sursum corda!

From Project Gutenberg

The figure on the tomb is a modern restoration, very elaborately clad in full pontificals, while the hands are clasped about a heart, representing the sursum corda, or lifting up of the heart.

From Project Gutenberg

The visits of death are always solemn, but the end of the just is the most moving sursum corda that we can- 343 - hear on earth.

From Project Gutenberg

Away along the slope we heard the other trumpeters sounding in answer, and I believe 'twas a sursum corda! to all of us.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023