Cantum

Cantum is a term rooted in Latin and encountered primarily in scholarly discussions of Latin literature and music. It is the accusative singular form of cantus, the word for "song," "chant," or "melody." In Latin texts, cantum appears when referring to a particular song or melody, and it forms part of phrases describing liturgical or secular chants.

In musicology, cantus and its inflected forms appear in analyses of chant and polyphony. While cantus is more common in modern English-language scholarship, cantum can be found in Latin glosses, critical editions, and historical descriptions of musical pieces. The term is therefore often encountered in translations or commentary on medieval manuscripts.

Cantum is also used as a modern proper name. In contemporary branding and fiction, Cantum has been adopted as a title for brands, projects, or fictional places in some works. Because there is no single, widely recognized definition for a contemporary entity named Cantum, the meaning depends on context and the accompanying description.

See also: cantus, chant, cantus firmus.