(Lat.). The most important HYMN of the VESPERS service in the Roman Catholic LITURGY, namely, the CANTICLE of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its opening words are "Magnificat anima mea Dominum," its text taken from Luke 1:46-55.

Many pious composers wrote Magnificats as separate choral works. In the Anglican church service the Magnificat is a part of Evensong, using the English words, "My soul doth magnify the Lord."