(functioning as singular or plural) Roman Catholic Church
(formerly) the matins and lauds for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of Holy Week, usually sung in the evenings or at night
Word origin
C17: from Latin: darkness
Tenebrae in American English
(ˈtɛnəˌbreɪ; ˈtɛnəˌbri)
plural noun
[with sing. or pl. v.]
a Holy Week night service (Wednesday through Friday), formerly widely observed in the Western Church, consisting of group recitation of Matins and Lauds of the following day in commemoration of Christ's death and burial
Word origin
L, pl., shadows, darkness: see temerity
Examples of 'Tenebrae' in a sentence
Tenebrae
Then he sent Brother Fuliginous and Brother Tenebrae (who had been pushing the marquis's wheelchair) out of the room.