Melisma definition
A passage of multiple notes sung to one syllable of text, as in Gregorian chant.
noun
A succession of different notes sung upon a single syllable, as orig. in plainsong or, now esp., in the ornamental phrases of Near Eastern and Asian music.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun
Singular:
melisma
Plural:
melismas, melismataOrigin of melisma
- Greek melody from melizein to sing from melos song
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- From Ancient Greek μέλισμα (melisma, “song").
From Wiktionary