music Hear it!

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music definition

mu·sic (myo̵̅o̅′zik)

noun

  1. the art and science of combining vocal or instrumental sounds or tones in varying melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre, esp. so as to form structurally complete and emotionally expressive compositions
  2. the sounds or tones so arranged, or the arrangement of these
  3. any rhythmic sequence of pleasing sounds, as of birds, water, etc.
    1. a particular form, style, etc. of musical composition or a particular class of musical works or pieces folk music
    2. the body of musical works of a particular style, place, period, or composer
  5. the written or printed score of a musical composition
  6. ability to respond to or take pleasure in music no music in his soul
  7. Rare a group of musical performers

Etymology: ME musike < OFr musique < L musica < Gr mousikē (technē), musical (art), orig. an art of the Muses < mousa, Muse

music Idioms

face the music

☆
Informal to accept the consequences of one's actions, however unpleasant

set to music

to compose music for (a poem, etc.)

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms music idiom

music Synonyms

music

n.

  1. A combination of tone and rhythm

    harmony, melody, tune, air, strain, harmonics, song, minstrelsy, euphony, measure, refrain, phrasing, modulation cadence, the Nine*.

    Terms used in music include: scale, chromatic scale, tempered scale, clef, note, tone, pitch, sharp, flat, accidental, major, minor, key, mode, orchestral coloring, orchestration, instrumentation, transposition, variation, improvisation, rhythm, melody, harmony, tempo, accent, beat, down-beat, up-beat, off-beat, syncopation, chord, dominant chord, subdominant chord, tonic chord, counterpoint, interval, timbre, volume, resonance.

  2. Musical forms for the voice include: opera, oratorio, hymn, art song, folk song, aria;

    Musical forms for instruments include: symphony (the conventional four movements of a symphony are sonata, andante, scherzo, finale), concerto, concerto grosso, suite, partita; trio, quartet, quintet, overture, prelude, sonata, sonatina, Mass, scherzo, rondo, nocturne, caprice, invention, concertino, toccata, chaconne, passacaglia, fugue, étude, exercise, tone poem, symphonic poem, symphonic fantasy, fantasia, variations, rhapsody, ballet music, serenade, ballad, march, canzonetta, rondino, pastorale, dance.

  3. Musical dance forms include: ballet, waltz, tango, polka;

    General styles of music include: classical, long-hair*, serious, medieval, modern, folk, primitive, popular, national, sacred, secular, impressionistic, neoteric, baroque, neoclassical, neo-Bachian, modernistic, formal, romantic, a cappella, program, pure, jazz; rhythm and blues, R and B, blues, jive, ragtime, boogiewoogie, light rock, hard rock, folk rock, acid rock, heavy metal, new wave, punk rock, funk, technopop, rock-and-roll, bebop, bop, soul, New Age, rap, grunge, reggae, zydeco, fusion, ragtime, swing, barrelhouse, big band, bluegrass, country and western, country.

  4. Styles of music according to its technical form include: melodic, polyphonic, contrapuntal, homophonic, Gregorian, strict, free, harmonic, lyric, epic, dramatic, pastoral, figured, atonal, whole toned, diatonic, pentatonic, twelve-tone, aleatoric, modal, syncopated.

  5. Styles of music according to its method of performance include: vocal, instrumental, solo, choral, orchestral.

  6. Styles of music according to its use include: operatic, symphonic, chamber, dance, concert, motion picture, theatrical, ecclesiastical, church, military, concert, ballet.

  7. The study or writing of music

    musicology, ethnomusicology, musicography, hymnology, hymnography.

  8. Responsiveness to music

    musical appreciation, sensitivity, aesthetic sense; see appreciation 3, feeling 4.

face the music*

accept the consequences of one's actions, suffer, undergo; see endure 2.

set to music

compose music for, write a song around, provide a musical setting; see compose 3.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

music Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • compose: Bach's task was to train the choir, play the organ and compose new music.

Adjective modifier

  • classical: John Self 5th Jul 2005, 11:58 Now hang on - are we talking classical guitar music here?

Modifies a noun

  • scene: Her take on her place in the music scene was what I felt I gained from the exchange.

Noun used with modifier

  • folk: Outside Brittany, another outpost of folk music is central France.
music usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

music quotes

   Music, the greatest good that mortals know, And all of heaven we have below.

-Addison,Joseph

  Nothing is capable of being well set to music that is not nonsense.

-Addison,Joseph

Poetry is music written for the human voice.

-Angelou, Maya originally MayaJohnson

music quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"music." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/music>

APA Style

music. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/music

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