RICERCAR

[ri.cer.car] or ri.cer.ca.re n, pl ricercars or ri.cer.ca.ri [It, fr. ricercare to seek again, seek out, fr. ri- re- (fr. L re-) + cercare to seek, fr. LL circare to go about--more at search] (1789): any of various usu. keyboard musical forms esp. of the 16th and 17th centuries in either quasi-improvisatory toccata style or strict polyphonic fugal style