Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A preexisting melody used as the basis of a polyphonic composition, especially in 14th- and 15th-century polyphony.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a melody used as the basis for a polyphonic composition
Etymologies
- Medieval Latin : Latin cantus, song + Latin firmus, fixed. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“The folk-song of olden times, springing directly from and resembling the music of the Church, was often employed as motif or cantus firmus in masses and other liturgical compositions, a proceeding which would not be allowed now-a-days.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘cantus firmus’.
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Dan: You read this already. — Your p...
Long ago, I learned a useful habit from a good friend: Every time he looked up a word in his dictionary, he’d put a mark next to it. His explanation for this was vague at best, but I understood a...
dittography, haplology, haplography, idiomology, cacoepy, orthoepist, psellism, pronunciation spe..., galbe, theropod, publican, sciolist and 111 more...
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Beautiful Music
a cappella, accelerando, accompagnato, adagio, ad libitum, agitato, aleatory, alla breve, allegro, allemande, alto, andante and 548 more...
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Appellationes Latinae
Latin terms
quidnunc, experimentum crucis, cui bono, carpe diem, pons asinorum, sine qua non, lux et veritas, oculus uterque, ancora imparo, mirabile visu, pro forma, paucis verbis and 108 more...
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Song
Words meaning song
cantic, canticle, cantick, cantiga, cantilena, cantilene, ballad, madrigal, melody, flamenco, carol, hymn and 18 more...
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