descant

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

See 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.

Origin of descant

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

Also discant.

Other words from descant

des·cant·er, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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 instruments: a 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

Origin of descant

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

Derived forms of descant

descanter, noun

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

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