polyphony

[puh-lif-uh-nee]

noun

1. Music.,  polyphonic composition; counterpoint.

2. Phonetics.,  representation of different sounds by the same letter or symbol.

polyphony

/ pəˈlɪfənɪ /

noun

1. polyphonic style of composition or a piece of music utilizing it

2. the use of polyphones in a writing system

Other Word Forms

• polyphonous adjective
• polyphonously adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of polyphony¹

First recorded in 1820–30, polyphony is from the Greek word polyphōnía variety of tones. See poly-, -phony

Word History and Origins

Origin of polyphony¹

C19: from Greek poluphōnia diversity of tones, from _poly- + phōnē speech, sound

Example Sentences

It’s jazz at an early stage: this is still the era of everyone-at-once polyphony.

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The children have their own afflictions, as does the husband-to-be, all shared in a polyphony of severed tongues.

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He was at work on a second album of “generative polyphony” when the war came to Kyiv.

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Geri Allen showed up in the 1980s with powerful grooves, exuberant melodies and astonishing polyphonies between her anchoring left hand and her wry, fluidly inventive right.

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“The shock was so huge, absolutely huge,” Pichon said, recalling the thrill of singing polyphony in a stone building, rather than practicing his violin alone.

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Related Words

• arrangement 
• chord 
• composition 
• melody 
• tune 
• unity