canorous

adjective

ca·no·rous kə-ˈnȯr-əs

ˈka-nə-rəs

Synonyms of canorous next

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: pleasant sounding : melodious

Nightingales are canorous birds.

canorously adverb

canorousness noun

Did you know?

In Confessions of an English Opium-Eater (1821), the author Thomas de Quincey describes a manservant who, after accidentally letting a loaded trunk fall down a flight of stairs, "sang out a long, loud, and canorous peal of laughter." Canorous typically describes things, such as church choirs or birds in the spring, that are a pleasure to listen to. It derives from the Latin verb canere ("to sing"), a root it shares with a number of words that evoke what is sweet to the ear, such as chant, canticle ("a song"), cantor ("a leader of a choir"), carmen ("a song, poem, or incantation"), and even accent.

Examples of canorous in a Sentence

a canorous chorus of birdsong filled the morning air

Word History

Etymology

Latin canorus, from canor melody, from canere to sing — more at chant

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of canorous was in 1646

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Canorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/canorous. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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