accompaniment

American  

[uh-kuhm-puh-ni-muhnt, uh-kuhmp-ni-] / əˈkʌm pə nɪ mənt, əˈkʌmp nɪ- /

noun

1. something incidental or added for ornament, symmetry, etc.

2. Music. a part in a composition designed to serve as background and support for more important parts.

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accompaniment British  

/ əˈkʌmpnɪ-, əˈkʌmpənɪmənt /

noun

1. something that accompanies or is served or used with something else

2. something inessential or subsidiary that is added, as for ornament or symmetry

3. music a subordinate part for an instrument, voices, or an orchestra

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Other Word Forms

• nonaccompaniment noun

Etymology

Origin of accompaniment

First recorded in 1725–35; accompany + -ment

Example Sentences

Working his acoustic guitar with a French horn accompaniment — French horns! — he dares us to balance our relentless socioeconomic drive with our deep need to hang out, to while away the hours.

From Salon • Mar. 6, 2026

Traditional music and drumming also provided an accompaniment to the activities.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026

Tom has reached an age when he can no longer get around the house without an accompaniment of creaks and groans and thuds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025

Together, they are trying to understand why the doxology, always sung “in one way and one way only” suddenly has been “pepped up” with an energetic organ accompaniment.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 21, 2025

If he had been a piano player instead of a guitarist, one might say bebop grew from the solos of his right hand while rock and roll grew from the accompaniment of his left.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall