trental

English

Etymology

From Medieval Latin trentāle directly or via Old French trentel, from the neuter substantive of *Vulgar Latin trenta + -ālis (“-al: forming adjectives”), from Latin trīgintā (“thirty”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtɹɛntəl/
• Rhymes: -ɛntəl

Noun

trental (plural trentals)

1. (Christianity) A set of 30 requiem masses, said once a day for a month or all in one day.
   • c. 1386, Geoffrey Chaucer, Summoner's Tale:

     Trentals seyde he, deliueren fro penaunce Hir freendes soules.

   • 1591, Ed[mund] Sp[enser], “Prosopopoia. Or Mother Hubberds Tale.”, in Complaints. Containing Sundrie Small Poemes of the Worlds Vanitie. […], London: […] William Ponsonbie, […], →OCLC:

     their trentals and their shrifts

2. (Christianity) The payment for this service.
3. (figurative, rare, obsolete) Synonym of triacontad, any set of thirty things.
4. (figurative, obsolete) Synonym of elegy, any funeral or funereal song or poem.
5. (Christianity, archaic) Synonym of month's mind, the commemorative service held on the 30th day after burial.

Synonyms

• (set of requiem masses): tricennal, tricenary

References

• “trental”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “trental, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.