Requiem

American  

[rek-wee-uhm, ree-kwee-, rey-] / ˈrɛk wi əm, ˈri kwi-, ˈreɪ- /

Or requiem

noun

1. Roman Catholic Church.

   1. Also called Requiem Mass.  the Mass celebrated for the repose of the souls of the dead.

   2. a celebration of this Mass.

   3. a plainsong setting for this Mass.

2. any musical service, hymn, or dirge for the repose of the dead.

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Requiem British  

/ ˈrɛkwɪˌɛm /

noun

1. RC Church a Mass celebrated for the dead

2. a musical setting of this Mass

3. any piece of music composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person or persons

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Requiem Cultural  

1. In music, a Mass for one or more dead persons, containing biblical passages and prayers for the admission of the dead to heaven. The term has been loosely applied to other musical compositions in honor of the dead. A German Requiem by Johannes Brahms, for example, uses texts from the Bible (see also Bible) but is not a Mass.

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Etymology

Origin of Requiem

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from Latin, accusative of requiēs ”rest” (the first word of the introit of the mass for the dead); re- ( def. ), quiet ( def. )