precentor

Meaningto sing

Common meaning: a leader of church singing

prebeforeSkeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), p. 407 · scan
centorto singLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 281 · scan

‘before’ + ‘to sing’ → precentor

Journey through time

pre — Latin prae- “before” (path traced)
centor — Latin canō / cantō “to sing” (path traced)

Parts join in Latin as canere.

Latinprae- + cantor‘before + to sing’source
Latincanere‘to sing’source
Latinmeaning shiftsto sing → a choir leaderpraecentor‘a choir leader’source
Englishprecentor‘a leader of church singing’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: not available. Respelling: generated.
US IPA: not available. Respelling: generated.

Origin: Built on Latin canere, which Skeat analyses as prae- ‘before’ + cantor ‘to sing’.

Roots

canere Latin “to sing”
canō / cantō Latin “to sing”

Related words

canorous descant disenchant disenchantment enchant recant

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