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; see -ent

Example Sentences

To return a full Answer to this last period, we need only put him in mind of the Proverb, Canes timidi vehementiùs latrant quam mordent, and much good may it do him.

From An Answer to a Scurrilous Pamplet [1693] by Anonymous

Of these the mordent, almost identical with the modern Pralltriller, was in most frequent use.

From Memories of a Musical Life by Mason, William

The true way of playing the mordent is thus: However, we adopted Rubinstein's way without comment.

From Memories of a Musical Life by Mason, William

An exchange of fingers in a mordent is seldom of any advantage, for it hampers precision and evenness, since, after all, each finger has its own tone-characteristics.

From Piano Playing: With Piano Questions Answered by Hofmann, Josef

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

From Piano Playing: With Piano Questions Answered by Hofmann, Josef