mordent

American  

[mawr-dnt] / ˈmɔr dnt /

Or mordant

noun

Music.

1. a melodic embellishment consisting of a rapid alternation of a principal tone with the tone a half or a whole step below it, called single or short when the auxiliary tone occurs once and double or long when this occurs twice or more.

2. inverted mordent.

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mordent British  

/ ˈmɔːdənt /

noun

1. Also called: lower mordent.  music a melodic ornament consisting of the rapid alternation of a note with a note one degree lower than it

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Etymology

Origin of mordent

1800–10; < German < Italian mordente biting < Latin mordent-, stem of mordēns, present participle of mordēre to bite; -ent

Example Sentences

They may take a mordent pleasure in installing Dr Eilidh Whiteford - who, as a member of the previous committee, was at the centre of a memorable and nasty spat with the previous chair, Labour's Ian Davidson.

From BBC

The Fingers Needed to Play a Mordent When executing the mordent, is not the use of three fingers preferable to two?

From Project Gutenberg

The mordent must be played fast enough to preserve the rhythmic integrity of the melody-note.

From Project Gutenberg

Where the Accent Should be Placed In playing Chopin's Impromptu in A-flat, Opus 29, should the first or the last note of the mordent receive the accent?

From Project Gutenberg

I have heard the mordent sound like a triplet?

From Project Gutenberg