Sing vs. Chant — What's the Difference?

Make musical sounds with the voice, especially words with a set tune

A chant (from French chanter, from Latin cantare, "to sing") is the iterative speaking or singing of words or sounds, often primarily on one or two main pitches called reciting tones. Chants may range from a simple melody involving a limited set of notes to highly complex musical structures, often including a great deal of repetition of musical subphrases, such as Great Responsories and Offertories of Gregorian chant.

Make a high-pitched whistling or buzzing sound

A series of syllables or words that are sung on or intoned to the same note or a limited range of notes.

Act as an informer to the police

A canticle or prayer sung or intoned in this manner.

Recount or celebrate in poetry or other literature

A monotonous rhythmic call or shout, as of a slogan

An act or spell of singing

To sing or intone to a chant

To utter a series of words or sounds in musical tones.

To celebrate in song

To vocalize songs or selections.

To say in the manner of a chant

To perform songs or selections as a trained or professional singer.

To sing, especially in the manner of a chant

To produce sounds when played

To speak monotonously.

To make melodious sounds

To sing, especially without instruments, and as applied to monophonic and pre-modern music.

To give or have the effect of melody; lilt.

To sing or intone sacred text.

To make a high whining, humming, or whistling sound.

To utter or repeat in a strongly rhythmical manner, especially as a group.

To be filled with a buzzing or ringing sound.

To sell horses fraudulently, exaggerating their merits.

To proclaim or extol something in verse.

Type of singing done generally without instruments and harmony.

To write poetry.

(music) A short and simple melody, divided into two parts by double bars, to which unmetrical psalms, etc., are sung or recited. It is the most ancient form of choral music.

(Slang) To give information or evidence against someone.

Twang; manner of speaking; a canting tone.

To produce the musical sound of

A repetitive song, typically an incantation or part of a ritual.

To utter with musical inflections

To utter with a melodious voice; to sing.

To bring to a specified state by singing

To celebrate in song.

To intone or chant (parts of the Mass, for example).

To sing or recite after the manner of a chant, or to a tune called a chant.

To proclaim or extol, especially in verse

To make melody with the voice; to sing.

A gathering of people for group singing.

To sing, as in reciting a chant.

(intransitive) To produce musical or harmonious sounds with one’s voice.

Song; melody.

(intransitive) To perform a vocal part in a musical composition, regardless of technique.

A short and simple melody, divided into two parts by double bars, to which unmetrical psalms, etc., are sung or recited. It is the most ancient form of choral music.

(transitive) To express audibly by means of a harmonious vocalization.

A psalm, etc., arranged for chanting.

(transitive) To soothe with singing.

Twang; manner of speaking; a canting tone.

(ambitransitive) Of birds, to vocalise:

A repetitive song in which as many syllables as necessary are assigned to a single tone

(ornithology) To produce a 'song', for the purposes of defending a breeding territory or to attract a mate.

Recite with musical intonation; recite as a chant or a psalm;

(literary) To produce any type of melodious vocalisation.

Utter monotonously and repetitively and rhythmically;

To confess under interrogation.

(intransitive) To make a small, shrill sound.

To relate in verse; to celebrate in poetry.

(intransitive) To display fine qualities; to stand out as excellent.

(ergative) To be capable of being sung; to produce a certain effect by being sung.

(AU) In traditional Aboriginal culture, to direct a supernatural influence on (a person or thing), usually malign; to curse.

The act, or event, of singing songs.

To utter sounds with musical inflections or melodious modulations of voice, as fancy may dictate, or according to the notes of a song or tune, or of a given part (as alto, tenor, etc.) in a chorus or concerted piece.

To utter sweet melodious sounds, as birds do.

To make a small, shrill sound; as, the air sings in passing through a crevice.

To tell or relate something in numbers or verse; to celebrate something in poetry.

To cry out; to complain.

To utter with musical inflections or modulations of voice.

To celebrate in song; to give praises to in verse; to relate or rehearse in numbers, verse, or poetry.

To influence by singing; to lull by singing; as, to sing a child to sleep.

To accompany, or attend on, with singing.

Deliver by singing;

Produce tones with the voice;

To make melodious sounds;

Make a whining, ringing, or whistling sound;

Divulge confidential information or secrets;