discant

American  

[dis-kant, dis-kant] / ˈdɪs kænt, dɪsˈkænt /

noun

1. Music. Also discantus a 13th-century polyphonic style with strict mensural meter in all the voice parts, in contrast to the metrically free organum of the period.

2. descant.

---

verb (used without object)

1. descant.

discant British  

noun

1. a variant of descant descant descant

---

verb

1. a variant of descant descant descant

Other Word Forms

• discanter
  noun

Etymology

Origin of discant

1400–50; late Middle English < Medieval Latin discanthus; see descant

Example Sentences

Hereat the bonny King grew blith, To hear the clownish Jest; How silly sots, as custom is, Do discant at the best.

From Wit and Mirth: or Pills to Purge Melancholy, Vol. 5 of 6 by D'Urfey, Thomas

Du, Eberle aus Freiburg,     Du bist ein Musikant, Top-sawyer on de counterpoint     Und buster in discant, To dee de soul of musik     All innerly ish known, Du canst mit might fullenden     De art of orgel-ton.

From The Breitmann Ballads by Leland, Charles Godfrey

Sit memor nostri, fideique solvat Fida mercedem, meritoque blandum Thraliae discant resonare nomen         Littora Skiae.

From Dr. Johnson's Works: Life, Poems, and Tales, Volume 1 The Works of Samuel Johnson, Ll.D., in Nine Volumes by Johnson, Samuel

Then the spirit moving her, she began to discant on things past and people vanished.

From The Ghost Girl by Stacpoole, H. De Vere (Henry De Vere)

To hear him discant you would have thought his wings were sprouting.

From A Transient Guest and Other Episodes by Saltus, Edgar