What does canticle mean?
A canticle is a song or chant of praise, most specifically one whose words are taken from the Bible — excluding the Psalms — and which is sung as part of Christian worship. Familiar examples include the Magnificat (the Song of Mary), the Benedictus (the Song of Zechariah), and the Nunc dimittis, traditionally recited at morning and evening prayer. The word derives from the Latin canticulum, meaning 'little song', itself rooted in canere, 'to sing', making it a close relative of chant, cantata, incantation, and cantor. Beyond its precise liturgical sense, 'canticle' is sometimes applied more loosely to any devotional poem or song of spiritual rejoicing — most famously St. Francis of Assisi's Canticle of the Sun, celebrated as one of the earliest works of Italian literature. Formal and ecclesiastical in tone, the word belongs mainly to religious, literary, and musical writing rather than casual conversation.
A song or chant of praise, especially a scriptural song other than a psalm used in Christian liturgy.
"The congregation recited the canticle Nunc dimittis at the close of evensong."
In strict church usage, a canticle is a biblical song outside the Psalter; broader uses treat any devotional song or poem as a canticle.
(Broader sense) Any song, chant, or lyric poem of religious joy or celebration.
"Whitman's exuberant verses have been read as a secular canticle to the American spirit."
This extended use appears mostly in literary criticism and poetry.
Standard plural; often used when referring collectively to the set of liturgical songs, as in 'the daily canticles'.
"The Book of Common Prayer assigns different canticles to morning and evening prayer."
St. Francis of Assisi called death 'sister' in his Canticle of the Sun — one of the earliest known works of Italian literature.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of canticle
The word 'canticle' comes from the Latin canticulum, a diminutive of canticum ('song'), formed from canere, the Latin verb 'to sing'. It entered English through medieval ecclesiastical Latin, where canticula named the scriptural songs sung during the divine offices. The same root gave English a family of singing-related words, including chant, cantata, incantation, and cantor, all tracing back to that single Latin verb.
How canticle is actually used
The word carries a formal, ecclesiastical register and appears chiefly in liturgical, literary, and academic contexts rather than everyday speech. In church tradition, 'canticle' most precisely refers to scriptural songs other than the Psalms — such as the Magnificat, Benedictus, and Nunc dimittis — though writers sometimes apply it more broadly to any devotional song.
Easily confused with canticle
A cantata is a multi-movement vocal work composed by a musician, whereas a canticle is a specific sacred song or biblical text used in worship.
A canon is a rule, law, or official list (or an imitative musical form), not a song of praise like a canticle.