Melisma
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A passage of several notes sung to one syllable of text. countable
"A choir sang one of the Lamentations of Jeremiah. The mournful melisma accompanied the slow procession to the palace built by Herod the Great, at present untenanted."
- 2 The use of such passages. uncountable
"A subsequent generation of singers, including Ms. Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson and Beyoncé, built their careers around melisma."
Example
More examples"A choir sang one of the Lamentations of Jeremiah. The mournful melisma accompanied the slow procession to the palace built by Herod the Great, at present untenanted."
Etymology
From Ancient Greek μέλισμα (mélisma, “song”), from μελίζω (melízō, “(I) sing, modulate; (I) celebrate in song”), from μέλος (mélos, “song, tune, melody; limb, part; member”).
Related phrases
More for "melisma"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.