dirge

noun

ˈdərj 

1

: a song or hymn of grief or lamentation

especially : one intended to accompany funeral or memorial rites

a funeral dirge

2

: a slow, solemn, and mournful piece of music

3

: something (such as a poem) that has the qualities of a dirge

dirgelike

ˈdərj-ˌlīk 

adjective

Did you know?

The meaning of English dirge is not directly related to the meaning of the Latin word it comes from. Dirge and its earlier form dirige, meaning "a song or hymn of mourning," come from the first word of a Latin chant used in the church service for the dead: "Dirige, Domine deus meus, in conspectu tuo viam meam." (Direct, O Lord my God, my way in thy sight). Because hymns and chants were often referred to by their first words, dirge became the common word for this chant. Later it was used for any slow, solemn piece of music.

Synonyms

• elegy
• lament
• requiem
• threnody

Examples of dirge in a Sentence

bagpipes played a haunting dirge at the funeral for the fallen leader

Recent Examples on the Web

The hand drums, played here by Keith, make this one spooky dirge. —Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 19 July 2024

Following long minutes of silence, a dirge of bagpipes began streaming from the church, suddenly growing loud as 10 pipers emerged with a corps of drummers behind, playing on as pallbearers rolled the casket out. —Bill Laytner, Detroit Free Press, 28 June 2024

The result is closer in style and rhythm to the doomy slow-cinema dirges of Gus Van Sant, like Elephant or Gerry. —A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 31 May 2024

Women in black mourning weeds gathered and hummed dirges. —Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English dirige, the Office of the Dead, from the first word of a Late Latin antiphon, from Latin, imperative of dirigere to direct — more at dress

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

dirge

noun

ˈdərj 

: a song or hymn of mourning

especially : one intended for funeral or memorial ceremonies

Etymology

Middle English dirige "service performed when someone dies," from Latin dirige "direct," first word in a prayer for the dead, from earlier dirigere "to direct"

Word Origin

The meaning of English dirge is not directly related to the meaning of the Latin word it comes from. Dirge and its earlier form dirige, meaning "a song or hymn of mourning," come from the first word of a Latin chant used in the church service for the dead: "Dirige, Domine deus meus, in conspectu tuo viam meam" (Direct, O Lord my God, my way in thy sight). Because hymns and chants were often referred to by their first words, dirge became the common word for this chant. Later it was used for a slow, solemn hymn of mourning.