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organum

[ awr-guh-nuhm ]
/ ˈɔr gə nəm /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR organum ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural or·ga·na [awr-guh-nuh], /ˈɔr gə nə/, or·ga·nums.

an organon.
Music.
  1. the doubling, or simultaneous singing, of a melody at an interval of either a fourth, a fifth, or an octave.
  2. the second part in such singing.

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Origin of organum

From Latin, dating back to 1605–15; see origin at organ

Words nearby organum

organ-pipe coral, organ point, organ screen, organ-specific, organ-specific antigen, organum, organ whistle, organza, organzine, orgasm, orgasmic
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to organum

arrangement, unity, melody, composition, tune, chord, unison, consonance, concert, richness, concurrence, piece, chime, chorus, euphony, symphony, triad, blend, overtone, blending

Example sentences from the Web for organum

British Dictionary definitions for organum

organum
/ (ˈɔːɡənəm) /

noun plural -na (-nə) or -nums

a form of polyphonic music originating in the ninth century, consisting of a plainsong melody with parts added at the fourth and fifth
a variant of organon

Word Origin for organum

C17: via Latin from Greek; see organ
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012