Meaning & use
precentor
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Meanings
nouncountablereligion
A person in a church who leads the singing or directs the choir during worship.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a precentor' or 'the precentor', and the plural is 'precentors'.
Patterns
- the precentor of a cathedral
- appoint someone as precentor
The precentor raised his hand, and the whole congregation began to sing.
She was appointed precentor of the cathedral after many years in the choir.
In some traditions the precentor also chooses which hymns will be sung.
nouncountablereligionScottish
In some Reformed and Presbyterian churches, an official who leads the congregation in singing psalms.
Grammar: Countable and often used with 'the': the precentor stood up to begin.
Patterns
- the precentor led the psalm
- a precentor in the kirk
In the old Scottish kirk, the precentor would start the psalm and the people would join in.
The precentor's voice carried the tune for everyone else to follow.
Word forms
| plural | precentors |
|---|
Common combinations
- appoint someone as precentor
- The bishop appointed him as precentor of the diocese.
- the precentor's stall
- The precentor's stall is on the north side of the choir.
- lead the singing
- As precentor, her job was to lead the singing at every service.
- cathedral precentor
- The cathedral precentor organized the choir for the Easter service.
Synonyms and how they differ
- choirmaster
- Choirmaster is more general and can refer to any choir, not just one in a church.
- cantor
- A cantor also leads singing in worship, but the word is used especially in Jewish and some Catholic contexts.
- song leader
- Song leader is an informal term used in many modern churches; it is less formal than precentor.
Word family
- precentorial adjective
- Relating to a precentor or the office of precentor.
- precentorship noun
- The position or duties of a precentor.
Commonly confused: precentor or preceptor? precentor or presenter?
precentor vs preceptor
A preceptor is a teacher or instructor, not a church singer; the two words sound similar but have different meanings.
precentor vs presenter
A presenter introduces a show or speaks on radio or TV; a precentor leads church singing.
Practice
In the cathedral, the precentor's main duty is to ______.
Choose one answer.
'Lead the congregation in singing' matches the meaning of precentor. Preaching is done by a preacher or minister, collecting money by a churchwarden or usher, and bell-ringing by a bell-ringer, so those options do not fit the word.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “precentor”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.