What is "chanter"

Precentor \Pre*cen"tor\, n. [L. praecentor, fr. praecinere to sing before; prae before + canere to sing. See Chant.] A leader of a choir; a directing singer. Specifically:

1. The leader of the choir in a cathedral; -- called also the chanter or master of the choir.
   --Hook.

2. The leader of the congregational singing in Scottish and other churches.

Hedge \Hedge\, n. [OE. hegge, AS. hecg; akin to haga an inclosure, E. haw, AS. hege hedge, E. haybote, D. hegge, OHG. hegga, G. hecke. [root]12. See Haw a hedge.] A thicket of bushes, usually thorn bushes; especially, such a thicket planted as a fence between any two portions of land; and also any sort of shrubbery, as evergreens, planted in a line or as a fence; particularly, such a thicket planted round a field to fence it, or in rows to separate the parts of a garden. The roughest berry on the rudest hedge. --Shak. Through the verdant maze Of sweetbrier hedges I pursue my walk. --Thomson. Note: Hedge, when used adjectively or in composition, often means rustic, outlandish, illiterate, poor, or mean; as, hedge priest; hedgeborn, etc. Hedge bells, Hedge bindweed (Bot.), a climbing plant related to the morning-glory ( Convolvulus sepium). Hedge bill, a long-handled billhook. Hedge garlic (Bot.), a plant of the genus Alliaria. See Garlic mustard, under Garlic. Hedge hyssop (Bot.), a bitter herb of the genus Gratiola, the leaves of which are emetic and purgative. Hedge marriage, a secret or clandestine marriage, especially one performed by a hedge priest. [Eng.] Hedge mustard (Bot.), a plant of the genus Sisymbrium, belonging to the Mustard family. Hedge nettle (Bot.), an herb, or under shrub, of the genus Stachys, belonging to the Mint family. It has a nettlelike appearance, though quite harmless. Hedge note.

1. The note of a hedge bird.

2. Low, contemptible writing. [Obs.]
   --Dryden.

   Hedge priest, a poor, illiterate priest.
   --Shak.

   Hedge school, an open-air school in the shelter of a hedge, in Ireland; a school for rustics.

   Hedge sparrow (Zo["o]l.), a European warbler ( Accentor modularis) which frequents hedges. Its color is reddish brown, and ash; the wing coverts are tipped with white. Called also chanter, hedge warbler, dunnock, and doney.

   Hedge writer, an insignificant writer, or a writer of low, scurrilous stuff. [Obs.]
   --Swift.

   To breast up a hedge. See under Breast.

   To hang in the hedge, to be at a standstill. ``While the business of money hangs in the hedge.''
   --Pepys.

"singer, composer," late 14c., from Old French chanteor (Modern French chanteur), from Latin cantorem "singer," from cantare "to sing" (see chant (v.)).

n. 1 One who chants or sings 2 A priest who sings in a chantry 3 The pipe of a bagpipe on which the melody is played 4 The hedge sparrow.

n. reed pipe with finger holes on which the melody is played [syn: melody pipe]

The chanter is the part of the bagpipe upon which the player creates the melody. It consists of a number of finger-holes, and in its simpler forms looks similar to a recorder. On more elaborate bagpipes, such as the Northumbrian bagpipes or the Uilleann pipes, it also may have a number of keys, to increase the instrument's range and/or the number of keys (in the modal sense) it can play in. Like the rest of the bagpipe, they are often decorated with a variety of substances, including metal (silver/nickel/gold/brass), bone, ivory, or plastic mountings.

Chanter is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:

• The Chanter Sisters, Irene and Doreen Chanter, British singers
• John Chanter, Australian politician
• Vic Chanter, Australian rules footballer