Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
canonry
canoodle
canopic jar
Canopus
canopy
Canso
canst
Cant.
cant (1)
cant (2)
cant dog
cant hook
Cantab
cantabile
Cantabrian Mountains
Cantabrigian
cantala
Click to move down the list of words
Also available:

World English Dictionary
Dictionnaire Français

cant (1)

cant [ kant ]


noun 
Definition:
 
1. clichéd talk: boring talk filled with clichés and platitudes

2. hypocritical talk: insincere talk, especially regarding morals or religion

3. jargon: the special language or vocabulary of a particular group, especially a group whom some people look down on



intransitive verb  (past and past participle cant·ed, present participle cant·ing, 3rd person present singular cants)
Definition:
 
speak cant: to use cant, especially to speak or lecture others hypocritically on matters of religion or morals

[Mid-16th century. Probably < Latin cantare "sing"]

cant·er noun
cant·ing adjective
cant·ing·ly adverb

Word History

The Latin word cantare, "to sing," from which cant is probably derived, and the related noun cantus "singing" are also sources of English accent, cantabile, cantata, canto, chant and incantation.

Advertisement

© 2009 Microsoft