melisma
noun
an ornamental phrase of several notes sung to one syllable of text, as in plainsong or blues singing.
melismas
-
pluralof melisma.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
For LeRoy, this idea resonates with the concept of melismas, or a group of notes sung at one syllable that often express a feeling without words, that is also often used in gospel music.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 19, 2022
After filming in July, he went into the studio with Hadyn to work on the score, collecting trilling melismas from musical artists Moses Sumney, Diana Gordon and Nadiah Adu-Gyamfi.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 19, 2022
Her phrases swell, tremble and spill over into melismas, and her verses crest with two different peaks.
From New York Times ● Nov. 17, 2021
A barefoot Camila Cabello, with her boyfriend Shawn Mendes on guitar, sang “My Oh My” with lavish melismas and consulted her phone to recall lyrics that had been rapped by DaBaby.
From New York Times ● Mar. 30, 2020
She floated lines with grace and deftly dispatched little embellishments and melismas.
From New York Times ● Apr. 29, 2016
