Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A preexisting melody used as the basis of a polyphonic composition, especially in polyphony of the 1300s and 1400s.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a melody used as the basis for a polyphonic composition
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
[Medieval Latin : Latin cantus, song + Latin firmus, fixed.]
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Examples
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