
Noah Webster
Antiphony
ANTIPH'ONY, noun [contrary, and voice.]
1. The answer of one choir to another, when an anthem or psalm is sung by two choirs; alternate singing.
2. A species of psalmody, when a congregation is divided into two parts, and each sings the verses alternately.
3. The words given out at the beginning of a psalm, to which both the choirs are to accommodate their singing.
4. A musical composition of several verses, extracted from different psalms.