Requiem
or req·ui·em
[ rek-wee-uh m, ree-kwee-, rey- ]
/ ˈrɛk wi əm, ˈri kwi-, ˈreɪ- /
noun
Roman Catholic Church.
- Also called Requiem Mass. the Mass celebrated for the repose of the souls of the dead.
- a celebration of this Mass.
- a plainsong setting for this Mass.
any musical service, hymn, or dirge for the repose of the dead.
Origin of Requiem
1275–1325; Middle English < Latin, accusative of
requiēs rest (the first word of the introit of the mass for the dead)
Example sentences from the Web for requiem
British Dictionary definitions for requiem
Requiem
/ (ˈrɛkwɪˌɛm) /
noun
RC Church
a Mass celebrated for the dead
a musical setting of this Mass
any piece of music composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person or persons
Word Origin for Requiem
C14: from Latin
requiēs rest, from the opening of the introit,
Requiem aeternam dona eis Rest eternal grant unto them
Cultural definitions for requiem
Requiem
[ (rek-wee-uhm) ]
In music, a Mass for one or more dead persons, containing biblical passages and prayers for the admission of the dead to heaven. The term has been loosely applied to other musical compositions in honor of the dead. A German Requiem by Johannes Brahms, for example, uses texts from the Bible (see also Bible) but is not a Mass.