DESCANT


Meaning of DESCANT in English

— descanter , n.

n. , adj. /des"kant/ ; v. /des kant", dis-/ , n.

1. Music.

a. a melody or counterpoint accompanying a simple musical theme and usually written above it.

b. (in part music) the soprano.

c. a song or melody.

2. a variation upon anything; comment on a subject.

adj.

3. Music , Chiefly Brit.

a. soprano: a descant recorder.

b. treble: a descant viol.

v.i.

4. Music. to sing.

5. to comment or discourse at great length.

Also, discant .

[ 1350-1400; ME discant, descaunt discanthus, equiv. to L dis- DIS- 1 + cantus song; see CHANT ]

Random House Webster's Unabridged English dictionary.      Полный английский словарь Вебстер - Random House .