n.
Pronunciation: ' ma-dri-g ə l
Function: noun
Etymology: Italian madrigale, probably from Medieval Latin matricale, from neuter of *matricalis simple, from Late Latin, of the womb, from Latin matric-, matrix womb, from mater mother
Date: 1588
1 : a medieval short lyrical poem in a strict poetic form
2 a : a complex polyphonic unaccompanied vocal piece on a secular text developed especially in the 16th and 17th centuries b : PART-SONG especially : GLEE
– mad · ri · gal · ian \ ˌ ma-dr ə - ' ga-l ē - ə n, - ' g ā - \ adjective
– mad · ri · gal · ist \ ' ma-dri-g ə -list \ noun