cantor

noun

can·​tor ˈkan-tər 

1

: a choir leader : precentor

2

: a synagogue official who sings or chants liturgical music and leads the congregation in prayer

cantorial

kan-ˈtȯr-ē-əl 

adjective

Did you know?

The cantor is, after the rabbi, the most important figure in a Jewish worship service. A cantor not only must possess an excellent singing voice but also must know by heart long passages of Hebrew. Cantors such as Jan Peerce and Richard Tucker became international opera stars. The comedian and singer Edward Israel Iskowitz renamed himself Eddie Cantor for his original profession and became enormously popular on stage, screen, radio, and television for over 40 years.

Examples of cantor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The film centers around a grieving cantor (Jason Schwartzman) helping his former educator study for her Bat Mitzvah, but to define the plot so plainly does a disservice to the true idiosyncratic nature of the piece. —Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 19 Dec. 2024

Items that would eventually fill 38 boxes were preserved by David Shiff, a retired cantor who served at the Midchester Jewish Center in Yonkers for nearly 50 years. —Jon Kalish, Sun Sentinel, 13 Nov. 2024

On Friday night, Bern-Vogel and the cantor of the Bielefeld synagogue led Shabbat services together. —Jacob Gurvis, Sun Sentinel, 13 Nov. 2024

Our bass player is the head cantor at the Greek Orthodox Church off Airport Rd. —Amanda Peukert, SPIN, 5 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin, singer, from canere to sing

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

cantor

noun

can·​tor ˈkant-ər 

1

: a choir leader

2

: a synagogue official who sings or chants religious music and leads the congregation in prayer

Etymology

from Latin cantor "singer," from canere "to sing" — related to cantata, chant, chantey