/mawr"dnt/ , n. Music.
1. a melodic embellishment consisting of a rapid alternation of a principal tone with the tone a half or a whole step below it, called single or short when the auxiliary tone occurs once and double or long when this occurs twice or more.
2. See inverted mordent .
Also, mordant .
[ 1800-10; mordente biting mordent-, s. of mordens, prp. of mordere to bite; see -ENT ]