What does requiem mean?
A requiem is a religious service of remembrance for the dead, most commonly a Christian mass asking for the repose of a deceased person's soul. The word also refers to a solemn musical composition written in memory of someone who has died, often commissioned to mark a death or commemorate a life. Its use in phrases such as “a requiem for” has broadened the term beyond religion, so that a newspaper might describe a retrospective exhibition or a moving speech as a requiem for a public figure. In cultural contexts, the word carries associations of mourning, commemoration, final farewell, and contemplation of mortality. It is also strongly connected with the Latin chant Dies irae, the opening sequence of the traditional requiem mass and the source of several famous musical settings. The word is commonly pronounced “REK-wee-um,” though the first vowel varies somewhat by speaker and accent.
nounA Christian mass celebrated for the repose of the dead, especially in the context of a funeral. The word also denotes a solemn musical composition written in memory of someone who has died.
- A Christian mass celebrated for the repose of the dead, especially for the soul of a person who has recently died.
- A solemn musical composition commemorating someone who has died.
"The choir performed a moving requiem for the late composer."
"The family requested that the requiem be sung at the memorial service."
"Her requiem for a beloved mentor became one of the concert's most moving performances."
The plural is regular and is used when referring to multiple funeral masses, memorial services, or commemorative musical compositions.
"The festival presented new requiems for several notable composers."
A requiem takes its name from the Latin prayer meaning "rest," while its most famous musical setting begins with the ominous chant Dies irae.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does requiem come from?
The English word comes through Old French from Latin requiem, the accusative form of requies, meaning “rest.” It originally referred to a mass for the dead and is traditionally associated with the chant Dies irae, which asks for mercy on the dead. Requiem belongs to the Latin root quies, “rest,” also preserved in words such as quiet, quiescent, requiesce, and acquiesce.
How requiem is actually used
In religious contexts, the term specifically denotes a mass for the dead. In general cultural use, it refers to music or a tribute intended to commemorate a deceased person and often conveys a tone of mourning, reflection, or farewell.