ANTIPHON (from the Greek ἀντɩɸωνέω, to raise the voice in reply), a short piece of plain-song introduced before a psalm or canticle, to the Tone of which it corresponds, while the words are selected so as specially to illustrate and enforce the evangelical or prophetic meaning of the text.
The following is the antiphon which opens the service of Lauds (corresponding to the English Morning Prayer) on Easter Day, and supplies the evangelical comment on the Psalm which follows it...