decani

English

Alternative forms

• Dec. (music)

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin decānī (“of the dean”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dɪˈkeɪnaɪ/

Adjective

decani (not comparable)

1. (church architecture) Of the side of the chancel, apse, altar or choir on which the dean's stall is placed (the right hand side to a person facing the altar); decanal.
   • 1934, Dorothy L. Sayers, The Nine Tailors:

     You want a few more daffs on the decani side […]

Noun

decani

1. (music) The higher of two choral voice parts sung when a part splits into two; traditionally sung by members of the choir on the decani side.
   • 1988, Gordon Paine, Howard Swan, Five Centuries of Choral Music: Essays in Honor of Howard Swan, page 105:

     All the extant voices participate fully in the decani-cantoris split at that point, so one is tempted to assume that the tenors split into decani and cantoris parts as well.

2. (music) That half of the choir singing decani parts, collectively.

Antonyms

• cantoris

References

• “decani”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• Caiden, caenid, candie, cnidae

Italian

Noun

decani m

1. plural of decano

Anagrams

• ancide, canide, decina, inceda

Latin

Noun

decānī

1. inflection of decānus:
   1. nominative/vocative plural
   2. genitive singular