barcarole
Americannoun
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a boating song of the Venetian gondoliers.
-
a piece of music composed in the style of such songs.
noun
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a Venetian boat song in a time of six or twelve quaver beats to the bar
-
an instrumental composition resembling this
Etymology
Origin of barcarole
1605–15; < Venetian barcarola boatman's song, feminine of barcarolo, equivalent to barcar- (< Late Latin barcārius boatman; see bark 3, -ary) + -olo (≪ Latin -eolus )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Long-held but shifting sonorities here suggest a barcarole as a voyage to the underworld.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 30, 2014
As the Sicilian men intone shocked syllables in a martial rhythm, a carefree barcarole suddenly emerges from a passing boat carrying ladies and gentlemen to the ball.
From New York Times ● Jul. 7, 2013
He struck at first only broken chords, that became finally the haunting barcarole of Tales of Hoffmann.
From The Valiants of Virginia by Hallie Erminie Rives
She could warble the Venetian barcarole with all the soft accents of an Adriatic tongue, or sing the Bauerlied of the Tyrol with every cadence of the peasant's fancy.
From Davenport Dunn, Volume 1 (of 2) A Man Of Our Day by Charles James Lever
Mamma is gone, and Ned was asking little Muir to sing that delicious barcarole she gave us the other evening.
From Behind a Mask, or a Woman's Power by Louisa May Alcott
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