motet · noun — A composition adapted to sacred words in the elaborate polyphonic church style; an anthem. It carries an Arena rating of 1698, earned across 17 head-to-head judged battles.
Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, motet ranks #1,203 of 17,162 for Most Elegant Words, #4,611 of 17,163 for Most Beautiful Words, #5,807 of 17,195 for Most Exacting Words, #6,431 of 17,151 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound.
motet is pronounced /moʊˈtɛt/.
Why “motet” is a great word
A polyphonic choral composition on a sacred text, intended for liturgical use. Its name stems from the Old French motet, a diminutive of mot ("word"), from the late 14th century. Unlike an anthem, which is often in the vernacular and straightforward in its declamation, or a madrigal, which turns secularly toward love and pastoral scenes, the motet is a sacred and intricately woven Latin conversation. It is the architectural complexity of interweaving voices in a vaulted space, the solemn play of light and shadow through stained glass given sound, and the precise, devout geometry of counterpoint—a testament to the human desire to build intricate order in praise of something beyond it.
❧ Essay by Lexicurio’s AI · definition, etymology & citations from published sources
Etymology
From French motet.
noun
- A composition adapted to sacred words in the elaborate polyphonic church style; an anthem.e.g.“Singing their holiday concert from memory, the group sounded confident and expressive in pieces ranging from a medley of Barry Manilow songs to renaissance motets.” — 1987 December 27, Frank K. Owen, “It's True What They Say About Choir Boys”, in Gay Community News, volume 15, number 24, page 7:
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- motettist 67% match — The composer of a motet. vs motet →
- antiphon 60% match — A devotional chant; a piece of music sung responsively. vs motet →
- motif 59% match — A recurring or dominant element; an artistic theme. vs motet →
- conductus 59% match — A medieval song, normally with a sacred text, often sung in Latin. vs motet →
- missa 58% match — a mass, in the sense of a composition setting several sung parts of the liturgical service (most often chosen from the ordinary parts Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Agnus Dei and/or Sanctus) to music, notably when the text in Latin is used (as long universally prescribed by Rome) vs motet →
- madrigal 57% match — A song for a small number of unaccompanied voices; from 13th century Italy. vs motet →
- automelon 57% match — A composition used in Orthodox Christianity to create other hymns, following its melody and rhythm. vs motet →
- antiphony 54% match — Alternate, or responsive singing by a choir split into two parts; a piece sung or chanted in this manner. vs motet →