polyphonic

American  

[pol-ee-fon-ik] / ˌpɒl iˈfɒn ɪk /

adjective

1. consisting of many voices or sounds.

2. Music.

   1. having two or more voices or parts, each with an independent melody, but all harmonizing; contrapuntal (homophonic ).

   2. pertaining to music of this kind.

   3. capable of producing more than one tone at a time, as an organ or a harp.

3. Phonetics. having more than one phonetic value, as the letter s, that is voiced (z) in nose and unvoiced (s) in salt.

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polyphonic British  

/ ˌpɒlɪˈfɒnɪk /

adjective

1. music composed of relatively independent melodic lines or parts; contrapuntal

2. many-voiced

3. phonetics of, relating to, or denoting a polyphone

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Other Word Forms

• polyphonically adverb

Etymology

Origin of polyphonic

First recorded in 1775–85; polyphone + -ic

Example Sentences

The film moves between the two in a sweeping, polyphonic narrative blending performances by professional and amateur actors, portraying a multifaceted Franco-African community refreshingly free from stereotypes.

From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026

The son of a concert pianist, he described his novels as polyphonic symphonies, works that mixed various tones and styles — fable, essay, autobiographical reflection — to explore the nature of identity or mortality.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 14, 2023

If you listen to the scene in its original language, it's a polyphonic effect.

From Salon • Apr. 28, 2023

EYIBRA, a musician and vocalist in the piece, pulled from polyphonic ritual songs and contemporary experimental music to create a soundscape.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 7, 2022

The music that is made up of counterpoint can also be called polyphony, or one can say that the music is polyphonic or speak of the polyphonic texture of the music.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones