ricercar

[ ree-cher-kahr ]

noun

Music. a chiefly polyphonic instrumental form of the 16th and 17th centuries closely resembling the vocal motet in structure and style.
a composition, especially for a keyboard instrument, having this form.

Origin of ricercar

¹

First recorded in 1780–90; apocopated variant of ricercare

Also ricercare, ri·cer·ca·ta [ree-cher-kah-tuh]. /ˌri tʃərˈkɑ tə/.

Words Nearby ricercar

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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