Meanings
plural plainsongs · alternative plain song · alternative plain-song
- countableuncountableentertainmentA form of monophonic chant in unison using the Gregorian scale, sung in various Christian churches.
Synonyms: plainchant
- countableuncountableentertainmentA cantus firmus or theme chosen for contrapuntal treatment; so called because often an actual fragment of plain-song.
- broadlycountableuncountableA plain unvarnished statement, without exaggeration.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA form of monophonic chant in unison using the Gregorian scale, sung in various Christian churches.
More synonyms by meaning
noun(Roman Catholic Church) a liturgical chant consisting of a single, unaccompanied melodic line
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latincantus planus
- Englishplainsong
From plain + song, calque of Latin cantus planus.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian грегорианско пеене
- грегорианско пеене (gregoriansko peene)monophonic chant
Esperanto plejnkanto
- plejnkantomonophonic chant
Finnish latinalainen kirkkolaulu
- latinalainen kirkkolaulumonophonic chant
French plain-chant
- plain-chantmonophonic chant
German Cantus planus
- Cantus planusmonophonic chant
Hungarian gregorián ének, cantus planus
- gregorián énekmonophonic chant
- cantus planusmonophonic chant
- cantus gregorianusmonophonic chant
- cantus choralismonophonic chant
Icelandic sléttsöngur
- sléttsöngurmonophonic chant
Irish cantaireacht eaglasta, réchantaireacht
- cantaireacht eaglastamonophonic chant
- réchantaireachtmonophonic chant
Italian canto piano
- canto pianomonophonic chant
Latin cantus planus
- cantus planusmonophonic chant
Persian سادهخوانی
- سادهخوانیmonophonic chant
Polish cantus planus
- cantus planusmonophonic chant
Portuguese cantochão
- cantochãomonophonic chant
Spanish canto llano
- canto llanomonophonic chant
Vietnamese bình ca
- bình camonophonic chant
Cite this entry
plainsong. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/plainsong
“plainsong.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/plainsong. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “plainsong,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/plainsong.
Source: plainsong on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.