matin

A bird sings a cheerful matin at dawn.

Definition

1. Noun (plural: ):
   • Morning prayer service: In Christian liturgy, "matin" (usually plural "matins") refers to a service of morning prayer, particularly in the Roman Catholic and Anglican traditions. It is part of the Divine Office (canonical hours) recited at dawn.
   • Poetic morning song: In poetry, "matin" can denote the song of birds at dawn, evoking the idea of a natural, joyful morning chorus.

Usage Examples

• Noun (religious):

  • The monks rose at 4 a.m. to recite matins in the chapel. (They performed the morning prayer service.)
  • Matins is the first of the canonical hours in the Breviary. (It is a fixed prayer time at daybreak.)

• Noun (poetic):

  • The lark's matin filled the quiet meadow with melody. (The bird's dawn song was heard.)
  • He wrote a poem about the matin of the robins in spring. (The morning birdsong was described poetically.)

Advanced Usage

• "Matin" as a singular noun is rare; the plural "matins" is standard. In historical or liturgical contexts, it may appear singularly.

  • The priest announced the time for matin. (Uncommon but acceptable in formal religious texts.)

• "Matin" in compound phrases: Often used in "matins of the day" or "matins of the church."

  • The matins of the cathedral were sung in Latin. (The morning prayers were performed in the cathedral.)

Variants and Related Words

• Matins (n, plural): The standard form meaning morning prayers.

  • The choir performed matins beautifully. (They sang the morning liturgy.)

• Matutinal (adj): Relating to morning or occurring in the morning.

  • His matutinal walk was a daily habit. (His morning walk was routine.)

• Matutine (adj, rare): Another form of "matutinal."

  • The matutine light filtered through the trees. (The early morning light appeared.)

Synonyms

• Morning prayer: A religious service held in the morning.
• Dawn song: A poetic term for birdsong at daybreak.
• Lauds: A specific morning prayer service in some Christian traditions (often distinct from matins).

Related Idioms

• "At matins": During the morning prayer service.

  • The congregation gathered at matins every Sunday. (They met for morning prayers.)

• "Sung matins": A musical version of the morning service.

  • The choir prepared sung matins for Easter. (They performed the service with music.)