mordent

Or mor·dant

[mawr-dnt]

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.

mordent

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of mordent¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of mordent¹

C19: from German, from Italian mordente, from mordere to bite

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.

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

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

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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?

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I have heard the mordent sound like a triplet?

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