psalmody means the singing or the writing of psalms. It carries an Arena rating of 1751, earned across 87 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, psalmody ranks #1,057 of 17,130 for Most Beautiful Words, #3,582 of 17,128 for Most Ponderous Words, #3,867 of 17,124 for Most Sublime Words, #5,533 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books.
psalmody is pronounced /ˈsɑː.mə.di/.
Why “psalmody” is a great word
PSALMODY — [Noun] The art, practice, or liturgical collection of singing psalms. From the Latin psalmōdia, from Koine Greek ψαλμῳδίᾱ (psalmōidíā), from Ancient Greek ψαλμός (psalmós, "psalm") + ᾠδή (ōidḗ, "song"). First attested in English in the mid-14th century. Unlike hymnody, which encompasses a broader repertoire of newly composed praise, or chant, which denotes a simpler, recitative style, psalmody is the dedicated musical discipline for the ancient, canonical poems themselves. It is the hushed unison of a Benedictine choir at Vigils, the four-square harmony of a Reformed congregation, and the lone cantor tracing the contours of a lament—the human voice, across centuries, trying to fit itself to divine meter.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin psalmōdia, from Koine Greek ψαλμῳδίᾱ (psalmōidíā), from Ancient Greek ψαλμός (psalmós, “psalm”) + ᾠδή (ōidḗ, “song”).
noun
- The singing or the writing of psalms.
- A collection of psalms.
verb
- To celebrate in psalms.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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