Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A hymn of praise to God sung as part of a Christian liturgy.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • An ancient hymn, in the form of a psalm, sung at matins, or morning prayer, in the Roman Catholic and in the Anglican Church, and also separately as a service of thanksgiving on special occasions.
  • A musical setting of this hymn.
  • Hence A thanksgiving service in which this hymn forms a principal part.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • An ancient and celebrated Christian hymn, of uncertain authorship, but often ascribed to St. Ambrose; -- so called from the first words “Te Deum laudamus.” It forms part of the daily matins of the Roman Catholic breviary, and is sung on all occasions of thanksgiving. In its English form, commencing with words, “We praise thee, O God,” it forms a part of the regular morning service of the Church of England and the Protestant Episcopal Church in America.
  • A religious service in which the singing of the hymn forms a principal part.
  • A musical setting of the Te Deum{1}.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun An early Christian hymn of praise.
  • noun A religious service in which the singing of the hymn forms a principal part; a public thanksgiving.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an ancient liturgical hymn

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From Late Latin Tē Deum (laudāmus), You, God, (we praise), the opening words of the hymn : Latin , you + Latin deum, accusative of deus, god.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From the hymn's opening words, "Te Deum laudamus" ("Thee, O God, we praise").

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Examples

  • The Te Deum is a very beautiful and very old hymn; many attribute it to Nicetas, Bishop of Remesiana Romatiana in what is now Servia, who was born about 335 and died about 414.

    Archive 2008-05-01 bls 2008

  • One such moment was when the lecherous Scarpia, standing in Rome's great Sant'Andrea della Valle with mass under way, curses Tosca for "making me forget God", before fearfully, or cynically, joining in the final words of the Te Deum.

    Tosca; La rondine; Arensky Chamber Orchestra – review 2011

  • In some respects the disc is uneven: Handel's Te Deum is among the great 18th-century choral works; Croft's Ode is no more than proficient and the text, fulsomely praising Queen Anne as the prime mover of the whole conflict, nowstrikes us as suspect.

    Handel; Croft: Music for the Peace of Utrecht 2010

  • The Te Deum is sung to gregorian chant alternating with a fauxbourdon by Victoria.

    Archive 2009-05-01 2009

  • After getting back from Stonyhurst last night, we had adoration of the Blessed Sacrament concluding with Benediction and the singing of the Te Deum at midnight to thank God for the graces and benefits we have received from Him during the past year.

    Archive 2009-01-01 2009

  • Patricius - I'm glad the Te Deum was sung at Maiden Lane and that there was a toast to the Holy Father afterwards in the pub.

    Summorum Pontificum anniversary 2009

  • We had Credo I and finished off with a rousing Te Deum in which there was actuosissima participatio.

    Archive 2009-07-01 2009

  • It was kind of the people of Blackfen to accompany the Te Deum with fireworks :

    Archive 2009-01-01 2009

  • We had Credo I and finished off with a rousing Te Deum in which there was actuosissima participatio.

    Jubilee Mass - more photos 2009

  • A plenary indulgence can be gained by devoutly assisting at the solemn singing or recitation in a Church or Oratory of the Te Deum on 31 December and the Veni Creator on 1 January.

    Archive 2009-01-01 2009

Comments

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  • Pronounced tedium :-/

    June 6, 2022