melisma

American  

[mi-liz-muh] / mɪˈlɪz mə /

noun

Music.

plural

melismas, melismata

1. an ornamental phrase of several notes sung to one syllable of text, as in plainsong or blues singing.

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melisma British  

/ mɪˈlɪzmə, ˌmɛlɪzˈmætɪk /

noun

1. music an expressive vocal phrase or passage consisting of several notes sung to one syllable

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Other Word Forms

• melismatic adjective

Etymology

Origin of melisma

First recorded in 1605–15, melisma is from the Greek word mélisma “song, tune”; melody, -ism

Example Sentences

She pointed to the exuberant amount of melisma in the repertory, where a single syllable is stretched over multiple notes.

From New York Times

The arresting opening sounds a high note with a long falling melisma on the syllable “la” and a very sparse bass line.

From New York Times

It led to “a sort of consonantal melisma.”

From New York Times

She could riff, bending notes as if high on the neck of a guitar; she had fantastic range and command of every effect, from melisma to circling the beat.

From The New Yorker