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.

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verb (used without object)

1. descant.

discant British  

noun

1. a variant of descant descant descant

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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

Cui accessit Pium diurnarum precum Enchiridion, ex quo pueri toto die cum Deo colloqui discant.

From Notes and Queries, Number 189, June 11, 1853 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. by Bell, George

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)

Comely he clappyth a payre of clavicordys He whystelyth so swetely he maketh me to swet, His discant is dashed full of discordes, A red angry man, but easy to intrete; etc.

From Shakespeare and Music With Illustrations from the Music of the 16th and 17th centuries by Naylor, Edward W. (Edward Woodall)

The doctor protested his innocence of the deed, while the parson continued to discant upon the consequences that would result from the disfiguration of his features.

From The Life and Adventures of Maj. Roger Sherman Potter by Adams, F. Colburn (Francis Colburn)

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

From A Transient Guest and Other Episodes by Saltus, Edgar