canto fermo

cantus firmus (ˈkæntəs ˈfɜːməs)

/ (ˈkæntəʊ ˈfɜːməʊ) /


noun
  1. a melody that is the basis to which other parts are added in polyphonic music

  2. the traditional plainchant as prescribed by use and regulation in the Christian Church

Origin of canto fermo

1
Italian, from Medieval Latin, literally: fixed song

Words Nearby canto fermo

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

How to use canto fermo in a sentence