Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

ethnomusicology

American  
[eth-noh-myoo-zi-kol-uh-jee] / ˌɛθ noʊˌmju 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

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.

See Examples For:

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

In addition to N.Y.U., he taught ethnomusicology, folklore and Irish studies at the University of Pennsylvania and at Georgetown and Villanova.

From New York Times Aug. 1, 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

The field of ethnomusicology is well positioned to contribute toward multicultural and diversity education, and, after a brief description of ethnomusicology, its tenets will be applied towards an examination of them.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training