noun
- a chant or anthem sung in response during a religious service, typically alternating between a soloist and choir
Usage: liturgical
Examples
- The choir sang a beautiful responsory during the evening service.
- The responsory alternated between the cantor and the congregation.
- Medieval manuscripts contain many elaborate responsories for different seasons.
- The responsory followed the reading from scripture.
- Each verse of the responsory was answered by the full choir.
- The Easter responsory filled the cathedral with joyful music.