From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcantorcan‧tor /ˈkæntə, -tɔː $ -ər, -ɔːr/ noun [countable] 1 RRJa man who leads the prayers and songs in a Jewish religious service2 RRCAPMthe leader of a group of singers in a church
Examples from the Corpus
cantor• In this situation the Commission believes that consideration should he given to the use of a cantor, or animateur.• These call for an increased use of soloists as cantors and for some direction of the congregation, often by means of an animateur.• The great cantors developed their own special variations on the liturgy, largely on the basis of folk tradition.• As the cantor was reciting the Eighteen Benedictions, one fellow was trying to sell a lottery ticket.• The cantor follows suit with even more feeling.• Before the Beethoven a Viennese cantor sang the Kaddish prayer of mourning.Origin cantor (1500-1600) Latin “singer”, from canere; → CHANT1 