versicle
noun
Forms versicles
- noun (poetry, music) One of a series of lines that are shorter than a standard line of verse, particularly in a hymn.
- noun (liturgy) The verse spoken by the officiant.
Etymology
From Middle English versicle, from Old French versicule, from Latin versiculus.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A little verse; especially, a short verse or text said or sung in public worship by the priest or minister, and followed by a response from the people.
Etymology [L. versiculus, dim. of versus. See Verse.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “versicle”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details