Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

ethnomusicology

American  
[eth-noh-myoo-zi-kol-uh-jee] / ˌɛθ noʊˌmyu zɪˈkɒl ə dʒi /

noun

  1. the study of folk and primitive music and of their relationship to the peoples and cultures to which they belong.


ethnomusicology British  
/ ˌɛθnəʊmjuːzɪˈkɒlədʒɪ /

noun

  1. the study of the music of different cultures

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of ethnomusicology

First recorded in 1945–50; ethno- + musicology

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Even more consequential was the trust that the Barbers placed in Marshall Stearns, who had an academic pedigree in medieval literature and a subsuming interest in the ethnomusicology of jazz.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 28, 2025

Degrees in ethnomusicology and composition studies in highly academic settings also informed Rajasekar’s knowledge of works in the Western European canon.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 7, 2022

Over the years, he taught ethnomusicology, folklore and Irish studies courses at Penn as well as Georgetown and Villanova universities.

From Washington Post • Jul. 29, 2022

“He represents the maintenance of a culture, the heart and soul of the masses,” said Steve Loza, a professor of ethnomusicology at UCLA.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 12, 2021

Alan Merriam, an anthropologist and one of the founders of ethnomusicology, created a list of ten commonalities of musical behavior after travelling extensively among many different people.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "ethnomusicology" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com