dirge Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a song or hymn of mourning composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person
    coronach; threnody; requiem; lament.

WordNet

Dirge noun
Etymology
Contraction of Lat. dirige, direct thou (imperative of dirigere), the first word of a funeral hymn (Lat. transl. of Psalm v. 8) beginning, "Dirige, Domine, in conspectu tuo vitam meam." See Direct, a., and cf. Dirige.
Definitions
  1. A piece of music of a mournful character, to accompany funeral rites; a funeral hymn.
    The raven croaked, and hollow shrieks of owls Sung dirges at her funeral. Ford.

Webster 1913