madrigal

(ma′dri gəl)

noun

a short poem, usually a love poem, which can be set to music
an often contrapuntal song with parts for several voices singing without accompaniment, popular in the 15th, 16th, and 17th cent.
loosely any song, esp. a part song

Origin: It madrigale < ?

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See madrigal in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

a. A song for two or three unaccompanied voices, developed in Italy in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.
b. A short poem, often about love, suitable for being set to music.
a. A polyphonic song using a vernacular text and written for four to six voices, developed in Italy in the 16th century and popular in England in the 16th and early 17th centuries.
b. A part song.

Origin:

Origin: Italian madrigale

Origin: , probably from dialectal madregal, simple

Origin: , from Late Latin mātrīcālis, invented, original

Origin: , from Latin, of the womb

Origin: , from mātrīx, mātrīc-, womb

Origin: , from māter, mātr-, mother; see mater

Related Forms: