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.

---

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

---

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

See Examples For:

mordent

And he tightened his arms round her, happy once more for a mordent in this environment of a perfect love.

From Robert Elsmere by Mrs. Humphry Ward

Fingers, position of, 6. the other, 16. fourth and fifth, 16. weak, 18. broad-tipped, 20. needed to play a mordent, 28.

From Piano Playing: With Piano Questions Answered by Josef Hofmann

The mordent consists of three tones; first the one represented by the printed note; second the one next below it in the diatonic scale; third the one represented by the printed note again.

From Music Notation and Terminology by Karl Wilson Gehrkens

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

From Memories of a Musical Life by William Mason

Pg 71 The accent ought to lie upon the first note of the mordent, but you should not make a triplet of it by occupying the whole quarter with its execution.

From Piano Playing: With Piano Questions Answered by Josef Hofmann