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noun Uncommon

requiem

REH-kwee-uhm

Requiem (noun) means a religious ceremony, especially a Catholic Mass, held to honor and pray for the dead. Example: “A requiem was held for the victims of the disaster.”

noun
1
A religious ceremony, especially a Catholic Mass, held to honor and pray for the dead.
"A requiem was held for the victims of the disaster."
2
A musical composition written for such a ceremony, or more broadly any piece composed to memorialize the dead.
"Mozart's unfinished Requiem is one of his most famous works."
"The band wrote a quiet requiem for their late drummer."

How to Use Requiem

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA memorial service or piece of music for someone who has died.

Common pairings
sing a requiem requiem mass compose a requiem

Word Forms

requiems plural, requiems plural

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A _____ was held for the victims of the disaster.

Etymology

From Latin requiem, the opening word of the traditional Mass for the dead, from requies, "rest," from re- plus quies ("quiet, rest").

Origin: Latin

lament dirge coronach threnody

Related Words

Rhymes for requiem

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does “requiem” mean?

The word “requiem” means a religious ceremony, especially a Catholic Mass, held to honor and pray for the dead. In plain terms, a memorial service or piece of music for someone who has died.

How do you pronounce “requiem”?

“Requiem” is pronounced REH-kwee-uhm (/ˈɹɛ.kwi.əm/ in IPA).

How do you use “requiem” in a sentence?

Here is “requiem” used in a sentence: “A requiem was held for the victims of the disaster.”

What part of speech is “requiem”?

“Requiem” is a noun.

Where does the word “requiem” come from?

The word “requiem” comes from Latin. From Latin requiem, the opening word of the traditional Mass for the dead, from requies, "rest," from re- plus quies ("quiet, rest").

Is “requiem” a common word?

“Requiem” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “requiem” have?

“Requiem” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a religious ceremony, especially a Catholic Mass, held to honor and pray for the dead.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial