Home › Glossary › Letter C

Canticum

Form
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A short lyrical chant or song-like poem, often with religious or ecstatic character.

Detailed Definition
Canticum is a Latin term for “song” or “hymn,” often used in liturgical or classical contexts to denote a formal, lyrical composition; in poetic discourse, it evokes sacred or elevated song, as in Horace’s “carmina” or Christian hymnody, suggesting a fusion of musicality, devotion, and structured artistry that transcends mere verse.
Example
Example in poetry:
Medieval Latin hymns like “Pange Lingua Gloriosi” by Thomas Aquinas; Gregorian chants structured as poetic canticums; Hildegard von Bingen’s “O viridissima virga” blending liturgy and lyric; Renaissance devotional songs modeled on biblical canticles
Additional Notes
Latin term for song or chant in classical drama, particularly comedy. Distinguished from dialogue (diverbium). Musical interludes performed by chorus. Precursor to operatic tradition in European theater.
Also Known As
chant short hymn
Skip to main content