melismatic

American  

[mel-iz-mat-ik] / ˌmɛl ɪzˈmæt ɪk /

adjective

1. Music. in a musical style that allows several notes to be sung to one syllable of text.

   The work’s dotted rhythms, soaring melismatic passages, suspensions, and changes of time signature make it the most widely sung of Purcell's choral compositions.

   The title song is a melismatic rock anthem that's a Top Forty–quality enduring earworm.

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Etymology

Origin of melismatic

First recorded in 1815–25; from Greek mélismat-, stem of mélisma, “song, tune” ( melisma ( def. ) ) + -ic ( def. )

Example Sentences

The lord of vibrato’s melismatic flourishes flickered like comet trails across an anthemic “Jeremy,” one of the darkest hits in modern rock history, which blew up in a joyful supernova on Thursday.

From Seattle Times

“The higher notes in the chorus coupled with the melismatic melody makes this one deceptively hard,” Glass said.

From Los Angeles Times

One arresting voice comes through like a war cry, all ancient, melismatic syllables in unsettled rhythms.

From New York Times

What we don’t usually hear is similar sentiments conveyed in the form of an aching, melismatic pop ballad by the former teen star of Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam.

From The Guardian

The first movement asks, “What person would not weep seeing the Mother of Christ in such agony?” at first gently with a mournful, melismatic soprano solo — then aggressively, with collective shouting.

From New York Times