"song" meaning in Middle English

See song in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /sɔnɡ/, /sɔːnɡ/, /sanɡ/, /saːnɡ/
Etymology: From Old English sang, song, from Proto-West Germanic *sangw, from Proto-Germanic *sangwaz. Etymology templates: {{inh|enm|ang|sang}} Old English sang, {{inh|enm|gmw-pro|*sangw}} Proto-West Germanic *sangw, {{inh|enm|gem-pro|*sangwaz}} Proto-Germanic *sangwaz Head templates: {{head|enm|noun|g=|g2=|g3=|head=|sort=}} song, {{enm-noun|songes}} song (plural songes) Forms: songes [plural], no-table-tags [table-tags], song [error-unrecognized-form, singular], songes [error-unrecognized-form, plural], songes [genitive, singular], songes [genitive, plural], songe [dative, singular], songen [dative, plural], sange [alternative], sang [alternative], songe [alternative], soong [alternative], songge [alternative], zang [alternative, Kent], zong [alternative, Kent], zonge [alternative, Kent]
  1. A song (lyrical music):
    Religious or spiritual chanting or hymns.
    Sense id: en-song-enm-noun-OIolJ0Jy
  2. A song (lyrical music):
    An exposition or story, especially a sung one.
    Sense id: en-song-enm-noun-3PGh0~ep
  3. A song (lyrical music):
    A song supposed to have occult or magical power.
    Sense id: en-song-enm-noun-KUDmDmGf Categories (other): Occult Disambiguation of Occult: 6 4 51 9 4 7 10 8
  4. The practice or an instance of singing songs.
    Sense id: en-song-enm-noun-qagFEsyG Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 7 5 6 23 15 16 19 9
  5. The sound produced by a bird (rarely other creatures)
    Sense id: en-song-enm-noun-FTSTmIV~ Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Animal sounds Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 7 5 6 23 15 16 19 9 Disambiguation of Animal sounds: 10 7 8 9 28 12 11 15
  6. A tune; non-lyrical music.
    Sense id: en-song-enm-noun-2tjD9w-T Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Music Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 7 5 6 23 15 16 19 9 Disambiguation of Music: 17 17 17 9 4 29 1 7
  7. A quip, declaration, or remark.
    Sense id: en-song-enm-noun-1-pAhiWa Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 7 5 6 23 15 16 19 9
  8. A poem; a written work in verse.
    Sense id: en-song-enm-noun-ESQ8YFSj Categories (other): Poetry Disambiguation of Poetry: 4 6 4 4 4 4 4 70
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: songly

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "songly"
    }
  ],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "song"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Scots",
      "lang_code": "sco",
      "word": "song"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Scots",
      "lang_code": "sco",
      "word": "sang"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Yola",
      "lang_code": "yol",
      "word": "zong"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "sang"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English sang",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*sangw"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *sangw",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*sangwaz"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *sangwaz",
      "name": "inh"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Old English sang, song, from Proto-West Germanic *sangw, from Proto-Germanic *sangwaz.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "songes",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "no-table-tags",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "table-tags"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "song",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "error-unrecognized-form",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "songes",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "error-unrecognized-form",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "songes",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "genitive",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "songes",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "genitive",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "songe",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "dative",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "songen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "dative",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "sange",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "sang",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "songe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "soong",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "songge",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "zang",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Kent"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "zong",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Kent"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "zonge",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Kent"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "noun",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "head": "",
        "sort": ""
      },
      "expansion": "song",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "songes"
      },
      "expansion": "song (plural songes)",
      "name": "enm-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A song (lyrical music):",
        "Religious or spiritual chanting or hymns."
      ],
      "id": "en-song-enm-noun-OIolJ0Jy",
      "links": [
        [
          "song",
          "song#English"
        ],
        [
          "chanting",
          "chanting"
        ],
        [
          "hymns",
          "hymns"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A song (lyrical music):",
        "An exposition or story, especially a sung one."
      ],
      "id": "en-song-enm-noun-3PGh0~ep",
      "links": [
        [
          "song",
          "song#English"
        ],
        [
          "exposition",
          "exposition"
        ],
        [
          "sung",
          "sung"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "6 4 51 9 4 7 10 8",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Occult",
          "orig": "enm:Occult",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A song (lyrical music):",
        "A song supposed to have occult or magical power."
      ],
      "id": "en-song-enm-noun-KUDmDmGf",
      "links": [
        [
          "song",
          "song#English"
        ],
        [
          "occult",
          "occult"
        ],
        [
          "magical",
          "magical"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "7 5 6 23 15 16 19 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The practice or an instance of singing songs."
      ],
      "id": "en-song-enm-noun-qagFEsyG",
      "links": [
        [
          "singing",
          "singing"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "7 5 6 23 15 16 19 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "10 7 8 9 28 12 11 15",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Animal sounds",
          "orig": "enm:Animal sounds",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The sound produced by a bird (rarely other creatures)"
      ],
      "id": "en-song-enm-noun-FTSTmIV~",
      "links": [
        [
          "bird",
          "bird"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "7 5 6 23 15 16 19 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "17 17 17 9 4 29 1 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Music",
          "orig": "enm:Music",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A tune; non-lyrical music."
      ],
      "id": "en-song-enm-noun-2tjD9w-T",
      "links": [
        [
          "tune",
          "tune"
        ],
        [
          "music",
          "music"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "7 5 6 23 15 16 19 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A quip, declaration, or remark."
      ],
      "id": "en-song-enm-noun-1-pAhiWa",
      "links": [
        [
          "quip",
          "quip"
        ],
        [
          "declaration",
          "declaration"
        ],
        [
          "remark",
          "remark"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "4 6 4 4 4 4 4 70",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Poetry",
          "orig": "enm:Poetry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A poem; a written work in verse."
      ],
      "id": "en-song-enm-noun-ESQ8YFSj",
      "links": [
        [
          "poem",
          "poem"
        ],
        [
          "verse",
          "verse"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/sɔnɡ/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/sɔːnɡ/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/sanɡ/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/saːnɡ/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "song"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
    "Middle English lemmas",
    "Middle English nouns",
    "Middle English terms derived from Old English",
    "Middle English terms derived from Proto-Germanic",
    "Middle English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic",
    "Middle English terms inherited from Old English",
    "Middle English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic",
    "Middle English terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic",
    "Pages with 17 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "enm:Animal sounds",
    "enm:Music",
    "enm:Occult",
    "enm:Poetry"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "songly"
    }
  ],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "song"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Scots",
      "lang_code": "sco",
      "word": "song"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Scots",
      "lang_code": "sco",
      "word": "sang"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Yola",
      "lang_code": "yol",
      "word": "zong"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "sang"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English sang",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*sangw"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *sangw",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*sangwaz"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *sangwaz",
      "name": "inh"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Old English sang, song, from Proto-West Germanic *sangw, from Proto-Germanic *sangwaz.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "songes",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "no-table-tags",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "table-tags"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "song",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "error-unrecognized-form",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "songes",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "error-unrecognized-form",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "songes",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "genitive",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "songes",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "genitive",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "songe",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "dative",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "songen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "dative",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "sange",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "sang",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "songe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "soong",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "songge",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "zang",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Kent"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "zong",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Kent"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "zonge",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Kent"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "noun",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "head": "",
        "sort": ""
      },
      "expansion": "song",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "songes"
      },
      "expansion": "song (plural songes)",
      "name": "enm-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A song (lyrical music):",
        "Religious or spiritual chanting or hymns."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "song",
          "song#English"
        ],
        [
          "chanting",
          "chanting"
        ],
        [
          "hymns",
          "hymns"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A song (lyrical music):",
        "An exposition or story, especially a sung one."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "song",
          "song#English"
        ],
        [
          "exposition",
          "exposition"
        ],
        [
          "sung",
          "sung"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A song (lyrical music):",
        "A song supposed to have occult or magical power."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "song",
          "song#English"
        ],
        [
          "occult",
          "occult"
        ],
        [
          "magical",
          "magical"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "The practice or an instance of singing songs."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "singing",
          "singing"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "The sound produced by a bird (rarely other creatures)"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "bird",
          "bird"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A tune; non-lyrical music."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "tune",
          "tune"
        ],
        [
          "music",
          "music"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A quip, declaration, or remark."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "quip",
          "quip"
        ],
        [
          "declaration",
          "declaration"
        ],
        [
          "remark",
          "remark"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A poem; a written work in verse."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "poem",
          "poem"
        ],
        [
          "verse",
          "verse"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/sɔnɡ/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/sɔːnɡ/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/sanɡ/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/saːnɡ/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "song"
}

Download raw JSONL data for song meaning in Middle English (3.7kB)

{
  "called_from": "inflection/735",
  "msg": "inflection table: unrecognized header: '(nominative/accusative)'",
  "path": [
    "song"
  ],
  "section": "Middle English",
  "subsection": "noun",
  "title": "song",
  "trace": ""
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable Middle English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-03-25 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-03-03 using wiktextract (05c257f and 9d9a410). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.