plainsong

See also: plain-song and plain song

English

Alternative forms

• plain song, plain-song

Etymology

plain +‎ song, calque of Latin cantus planus.

Noun

plainsong (countable and uncountable, plural plainsongs)

1. (music) A form of monophonic chant in unison using the Gregorian scale, sung in various Christian churches.

   Synonym: plainchant

2. (music) A cantus firmus or theme chosen for contrapuntal treatment; so called because often an actual fragment of plain-song.
3. (music) The simple notes of an air, without ornament or variation.
4. (by extension) A plain unvarnished statement, without exaggeration.

Translations

monophonic chant

• Bulgarian: грегорианско пеене (gregoriansko peene)
• Esperanto: plejnkanto
• Finnish: latinalainen kirkkolaulu
• French: plain-chant (fr) m
• German: Cantus planus m
• Hungarian: gregorián ének, cantus planus, cantus gregorianus, cantus choralis
• Icelandic: sléttsöngur m
• Irish: cantaireacht eaglasta f, réchantaireacht f
• Italian: canto piano m
• Latin: cantus planus m
• Persian: ساده‌خوانی
• Portuguese: cantochão (pt) m
• Spanish: canto llano m
• Vietnamese: bình ca

See also

• Gregorian chant

References

• “plainsong”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• planigons, pangolins