Back to all words

Cantata

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means a medium-length vocal work with instruments

Where does the word "cantata" come from? It comes from Latin cantāre, passing through Italian before entering English (1720s).

cantāre→cantata→cantata

Latin · ancient

Italian · 1600s

'a sung piece', as opposed to a 'sonata', a played piece

English · 1720s

J. S. Bach wrote over 200 church cantatas in Leipzig in the same period

Drag to pan · scroll to zoom

Read the full story

Cantata’s story begins in Latin: cantāre meant “to sing.” To sing. By 1600s, the word had taken hold in Italian as cantata. 'a sung piece', as opposed to a 'sonata', a played piece. It reached English by 1720s as cantata. J. S. Bach wrote over 200 church cantatas in Leipzig in the same period. Today, cantata means a medium-length vocal work with instruments.