cantos Definition
- 1a main division of a long poem
- 2a section of a song, usually with a regular pattern of melody and rhyme
Using cantos: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "cantos" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The poem is divided into twelve cantos.
Example
The song has three cantos with different melodies.
Example
He recited the first canto of Dante's Inferno.
cantos Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with cantos
Example
The epic canto of Beowulf recounts the hero's battles against monsters and dragons.
a section of a choral work that is sung by the full choir, often in contrast to a solo or smaller group of singers
Example
The choral canto in Handel's Messiah is one of the most famous pieces of choral music.
ballad canto
a section of a ballad, a type of narrative poem that tells a story in a simple and direct way
Example
The ballad canto of 'Barbara Allen' tells the tragic story of two lovers who are separated by death.
Origins of cantos
from Italian 'canto', meaning 'song'
Summary: cantos in Brief
'Cantos' [ˈkæntoʊz] refer to the main divisions of a long poem or sections of a song with a regular pattern of melody and rhyme. It is commonly used in epic poems like Dante's Inferno and in choral works like Handel's Messiah. 'Cantos' can also be found in ballads, which are narrative poems that tell a story in a simple and direct way.
