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”; see melody, -ism

Example Sentences

He asked permission to try it out in front of the London audience, before drifting into a wordless, intimate melisma.

From BBC • Aug. 14, 2024

It seemed, even, like every blistering high note, well-turned melisma and swooning falsetto note was greeted with hums of approval and the occasional shout of “C’mon!”

From New York Times • Mar. 24, 2023

For Day, the reverb of the well provides extra depth to her voice as she crescendos, adding melisma and going up an octave along the way.

From Washington Post • Mar. 15, 2023

As an example, he cites her vocal melisma on the flamenco track, “Bulerías” — “nobody else in pop can touch that,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 8, 2022

The closing words of each Psalm are chanted more 171 slowly and impressively, a long "triad" being substituted for the "melisma," sung piano.

From Letters of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy from Italy and Switzerland by Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Felix