descant

1 of 2

noun

des·​cant ˈde-ˌskant How to pronounce descant (audio)
variants or less commonly discant
ˈdi-ˌskant How to pronounce descant (audio)
Synonyms of descantnext
1
a
: a melody or counterpoint sung above the plainsong of the tenor
b
: the art of composing or improvising contrapuntal part music
also : the music so composed or improvised
c
: soprano, treble
d
: a superimposed counterpoint to a simple melody sung typically by some or all of the sopranos
2
: discourse or comment on a theme

descant

2 of 2

verb

des·​cant ˈdes-ˌkant How to pronounce descant (audio) de-ˈskant How to pronounce descant (audio)
di-ˈskant
descanted; descanting; descants

intransitive verb

1
: to sing or play a descant
broadly : sing
2
: comment, discourse

Did you know?

The prefix des-, meaning "two" or "apart", indicates that the descant is a "second song" apart from the main melody. In popular songs a descant will often be sung at the very end to produce a thrilling climax.

Synonyms

Verb

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Examples of descant in a Sentence

Verb an English professor who loves to descant on his beloved Shakespeare the world-famous soprano descanted above the melody line
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Bart, too idiosyncratic merely to copy the idiosyncrasies of the movie’s Christopher Lloyd, instead adds a descant of commentary atop them, sometimes seeming to extemporize a different show entirely. — Jesse Green, New York Times, 3 Aug. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English dyscant, from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French descaunt, from Medieval Latin discantus, from Latin dis- + cantus song — more at chant

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of descant was in the 14th century

Rhymes for descant

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descant
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Cite this Entry

“Descant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/descant. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

descant

1 of 2 noun
des·​cant ˈdes-ˌkant How to pronounce descant (audio)
1
: a melody sung or played usually above a principal melody
2
: a discussion or comment on a subject

descant

2 of 2 verb
des·​cant ˈdes-ˌkant How to pronounce descant (audio) des-ˈkant How to pronounce descant (audio)
1
a
: to sing or play a descant
b
: sing entry 1 sense 2
2
: to talk or write at length
descanted on foreign films

More from Merriam-Webster on descant

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about descant

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