French Conversation · Level 111
59 words
French word
chantre
Pronunciation
IPA/ʃɑ̃tʁ/
Meaning
- masculine nounchoirmaster
Example
Notre chantre dirige le chœur lors de la messe dominicale.
Our choirmaster leads the choir during the Sunday Mass.
More examples
Le chantre de l'école accompagne les enfants pendant la chorale.
The school's choirmaster accompanies the children during choir practice.
Core concept
A church cantor at the front, setting the melody while the choir follows.
Similar words
chef de chœur: A choir director who leads rehearsals and conducts performances.
chanteur: A singer who performs on stage or in recordings.
Definition in French
Personne qui dirige le chant dans une église, notamment le chef du chœur pendant les offices religieux.
Word origin
French chantre comes from Latin cantor, 'singer', derived from canere, 'to sing', and entered French as a term for a church singer.
Usage tips
- Chantre is mainly religious or literary, while chef de chœur is usually more natural for a choir director outside church settings.