descant

[ noun, adjective des-kant; verb des-kant, dis- ]

/ noun, adjective ˈdɛs kænt; verb dɛsˈkænt, dɪs- /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR descant ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Music.

a melody or counterpoint accompanying a simple musical theme and usually written above it.
(in part music) the soprano.
a song or melody.

a variation upon anything; comment on a subject.

adjective

Music (chiefly British ).

soprano: a descant recorder.
treble: a descant viol.

verb (used without object)

Music. to sing.

to comment or discourse at great length.

Nearby words

desaturation, desault's bandage, desc., descale, descamisado, descant, descartes, descartes' law, descartes, rené, descemet's membrane, descemetitis

Also discant.

Origin of descant

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

Related forms

des·cant·er, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for descant

Many people were surprised to find that they could descant sincerely and patriotically upon the might and glories of the Empire.
The Siege of Kimberley|T. Phelan
Of course it is very easy for Sir James Graham, holding such views, to descant on the impolicy of any return to protection.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 69, No. 425, March, 1851|Various
Speak of cherishing a departed friend, and they will descant on the absurdity of going about moaning and weeping all your days.
A New Atmosphere|Gail Hamilton
This is not the same idle performance as to descant rapturously upon his purely inborn genius.
Platform Monologues|T. G. Tucker

After all this, might we descant upon the squire's characteristics.
The Complete Prose Works of Martin Farquhar Tupper|Martin Farquhar Tupper

British Dictionary definitions for descant

descant

noun (ˈdɛskænt, ˈdɪs-)

Also: discant a decorative counterpoint added above a basic melody

a comment, criticism, or discourse

adjective (ˈdɛskænt, ˈdɪs-)

Also: discant of or pertaining to the highest member in common use of a family of musical instrumentsa descant recorder

verb (dɛsˈkænt, dɪs-) (intr)

Also: discant (often foll by on or upon) to compose or perform a descant (for a piece of music)

(often foll by on or upon) to discourse at length or make varied comments

Derived Forms

descanter, noun

Word Origin for descant

C14: from Old Northern French, from Medieval Latin discantus, from Latin dis- 1 + cantus song; see chant

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