canorous

adjective

ca·​no·​rous kə-ˈnȯr-əs 

ˈka-nə-rəs

: 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.

Synonyms

• euphonic
• euphonious
• harmonious
• harmonizing
• melodious
• musical
• symphonic
• symphonious
• tuneful

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

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!