roundelay

American  

[roun-dl-ey] / ˈraʊn dlˌeɪ /

noun

1. a song in which a phrase, line, or the like, is continually repeated.

2. the music for such a song.

3. a dance in a circle; round dance.

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roundelay British  

/ ˈraʊndɪˌleɪ /

noun

1. Also called: roundel.  a slow medieval dance performed in a circle

2. a song in which a line or phrase is repeated as a refrain

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Etymology

Origin of roundelay

1565–75; alteration (influenced by lay ⁴ ) of Middle French rondelet, diminutive of rondel roundel

Example Sentences

Man, that’s an ambition worth an endless roundelay of soulless mid-level convention venues, empty hotel rooms and backseat rides in SUVs sitting next to people telling you how many points you’re down in the polls.

From Salon • Jan. 23, 2024

Lapine, making his feature film debut, doesn’t have the technique to turn this amatory whirl into a lyrical roundelay.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 27, 2023

It’s not a narrative concept album, but the songs are connected by recurring threads: a roundelay of infidelities and reunions, betrayals and connections, self-doubt and self-affirmation.

From New York Times • Dec. 13, 2022

His story opens and closes with a bureaucratic roundelay that many travelers, including those who are not transporting traps or a puma, may find relatable.

From Washington Post • Feb. 4, 2021

My master glides under a balcony that is shut with lattices, takes the guitar from my hands, and there you have him warbling his roundelay.

From The Pocket Bible or Christian the Printer A Tale of the Sixteenth Century by Sue, Eug?ne