descant

American  

[des-kant, des-kant, dis-] / ˈdɛs kænt, dɛsˈkænt, dɪs- /

noun

1. Music.

   1. a melody or counterpoint accompanying a simple musical theme and usually written above it.

   2. (in part music) the soprano.

   3. a song or melody.

2. a variation upon anything; comment on a subject.

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adjective

1. Music (chiefly British).

   1. soprano.

      a descant recorder.

   2. treble.

      a descant viol.

verb (used without object)

1. Music. to sing.

2. to comment or discourse at great length.

descant British  

noun

1. Also: discant.  a decorative counterpoint added above a basic melody

2. a comment, criticism, or discourse

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adjective

1. Also: discant.  of or pertaining to the highest member in common use of a family of musical instruments

   a descant recorder

verb

1. Also: discant.  to compose or perform a descant (for a piece of music)

2. to discourse at length or make varied comments

Other Word Forms

• descanter noun

Etymology

Origin of descant

1350–1400; Middle English discant, descaunt < Anglo-French < Medieval Latin discanthus, equivalent to Latin dis- dis- ¹ + cantus song; chant

Example Sentences

For much of the show, Fischer, a powerhouse vocalist best known as a backup singer, sticks to wordless descant, humming and oohing on top of and around the other music.

From New York Times

Will the protagonist, who loves to “descant on mine own deformity,” make us see anew the premium that society places on women’s appearances?

From New York Times

No media coverage of a political campaign would be complete without the small-town diner story featuring salt-of-the-earth folks in John Deere hats descanting their cracker-barrel wisdom about the state of the world.

From Salon

But what followed was far from a utilitarian compilation, with a series of florid descants, and elaborate arrangements of traditional carols like “God Rest You, Merry Gentlemen,” and “The First Nowell.”

From New York Times

For seven decades, Katz has been providing a visual descant to the work of the New York School of poets, many of whom were his friends.

From Washington Post