melismatic

[ mel-iz-mat-ik ]

adjective

1. Music. in a musical style that allows several notes to be sung to one syllable of text:

   The work’s dotted rhythms, soaring melismatic passages, suspensions, and changes of time signature make it the most widely sung of Purcell's choral compositions.

   The title song is a melismatic rock anthem that's a Top Forty–quality enduring earworm.

Word History and Origins

Origin of melismatic¹

First recorded in 1815–25; from Greek mélismat-, stem of mélisma, “song, tune” ( melisma ( def ) ) + -ic ( def )