Meaning of "descant" in the English dictionary

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD DESCANT

From Old Northern French, from Medieval Latin discantus, from Latin dis-1 + cantus song.

Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.

PRONUNCIATION OF DESCANT

descant  [ˈdɛskænt]

GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF DESCANT

Descant is a verb and can also act as a noun and an adjective.

A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

The adjective is the word that accompanies the noun to determine or qualify it.

The verb is the part of the sentence that is conjugated and expresses action and state of being.

See the conjugation of the verb descant in English.

WHAT DOES DESCANT MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Descant

Descant or discantus can refer to several different things in music, depending on the period in question; etymologically, the word means a voice above or removed from others. A discant is a form of medieval music in which one singer sang a fixed melody, and others accompanied with improvisations. The word in this sense comes from the term discantus supra librum, and is a form of Gregorian chant in which only the melody is notated but an improvised polyphony is understood. The discantus supra librum had specific rules governing the improvisation of the additional voices. Later on, the term came to mean the treble or soprano singer in any group of voices, or the higher pitched line in a song. Eventually, by the Renaissance, descant referred generally to counterpoint. Nowadays the counterpoint meaning is the most common. Descant can also refer to the highest pitched of a group of instruments, particularly the descant viol or recorder. Similarly, it can also be applied to the soprano clef. Descant can also refer to a high, florid melody sung by a few sopranos as a decoration for a hymn.

Definition of descant in the English dictionary

The first definition of descant in the dictionary is Also: discant. a decorative counterpoint added above a basic melody. Other definition of descant is a comment, criticism, or discourse. Descant is also Also: discant. of or pertaining to the highest member in common use of a family of musical instruments.

CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO DESCANT

PRESENT

Present

I descant

you descant

he/she/it descants

we descant

you descant

they descant

Present continuous

I am descanting

you are descanting

he/she/it is descanting

we are descanting

you are descanting

they are descanting

Present perfect

I have descanted

you have descanted

he/she/it has descanted

we have descanted

you have descanted

they have descanted

Present perfect continuous

I have been descanting

you have been descanting

he/she/it has been descanting

we have been descanting

you have been descanting

they have been descanting

Present tense is used to refer to circumstances that exist at the present time or over a period that includes the present time. The present perfect refers to past events, although it can be considered to denote primarily the resulting present situation rather than the events themselves.

PAST

Past

I descanted

you descanted

he/she/it descanted

we descanted

you descanted

they descanted

Past continuous

I was descanting

you were descanting

he/she/it was descanting

we were descanting

you were descanting

they were descanting

Past perfect

I had descanted

you had descanted

he/she/it had descanted

we had descanted

you had descanted

they had descanted

Past perfect continuous

I had been descanting

you had been descanting

he/she/it had been descanting

we had been descanting

you had been descanting

they had been descanting

Past tense forms express circumstances existing at some time in the past,

FUTURE

Future

I will descant

you will descant

he/she/it will descant

we will descant

you will descant

they will descant

Future continuous

I will be descanting

you will be descanting

he/she/it will be descanting

we will be descanting

you will be descanting

they will be descanting

Future perfect

I will have descanted

you will have descanted

he/she/it will have descanted

we will have descanted

you will have descanted

they will have descanted

Future perfect continuous

I will have been descanting

you will have been descanting

he/she/it will have been descanting

we will have been descanting

you will have been descanting

they will have been descanting

The future is used to express circumstances that will occur at a later time.

CONDITIONAL

Conditional

I would descant

you would descant

he/she/it would descant

we would descant

you would descant

they would descant

Conditional continuous

I would be descanting

you would be descanting

he/she/it would be descanting

we would be descanting

you would be descanting

they would be descanting

Conditional perfect

I would have descant

you would have descant

he/she/it would have descant

we would have descant

you would have descant

they would have descant

Conditional perfect continuous

I would have been descanting

you would have been descanting

he/she/it would have been descanting

we would have been descanting

you would have been descanting

they would have been descanting

Conditional or "future-in-the-past" tense refers to hypothetical or possible actions.

IMPERATIVE

Imperative

you descant
we let´s descant
you descant

The imperative is used to form commands or requests.

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

Infinitive

to descant

Past participle

descanted

Present Participle

descanting

Infinitive shows the action beyond temporal perspective. The present participle or gerund shows the action during the session. The past participle shows the action after completion.

SYNONYMS OF «DESCANT»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «descant» and belong to the same grammatical category.

synonyms of descant

counterpoint · decoration · melody · song · tune

TRANSLATION OF DESCANT

Find out the translation of descant to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

The translations of descant from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «descant» in English.

• Translator English - Chinese: descant
• Translator English - Spanish: descant
• English: descant
• Translator English - Hindi: descant
• Translator English - Arabic: غنى لحنا
• Translator English - Russian: дискант
• Translator English - Portuguese: descant
• Translator English - Bengali: সুললিত সুর
• Translator English - French: déchante
• Translator English - Malay: Keturunan
• Translator English - German: Diskant
• Translator English - Japanese: デスカント
• Translator English - Korean: 수창
• Translator English - Javanese: Descant
• Translator English - Vietnamese: âm điệu
• Translator English - Tamil: இன்னிசை
• Translator English - Marathi: Descant
• Translator English - Turkish: şarkı söylemek
• Translator English - Italian: discanto
• Translator English - Polish: dyszkantu
• Translator English - Ukrainian: дискант
• Translator English - Romanian: Descant
• Translator English - Greek: descant
• Translator English - Afrikaans: diskant
• Translator English - Swedish: descant
• Translator English - Norwegian: diskant

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «DESCANT»

Discover the use of descant in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to descant and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

Solo Pieces for the Beginning Descant/Soprano Recorder

Mel Bay Presents Solqolf tlfaeces BEGINNING DESCANT/SOPRANO RECORDER By Costel Pusooiu Descant/ Soprano Recorder © 2001 BY MEL BAY PUBLICATIONS, INC., PACIFIC, MO 63069. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. INTERNATIONAL ...

Costel Puscoiu, 2001

Solo Pieces for the Advanced Descant/Soprano Recorder

A collection of repertoire adapted and composed for the more advanced musician. All pieces are arranged for descant/soprano recorder with piano accompaniment. Selections include works by Brahms, Schubert, Ravel, Grieg, Massenet and more.

Costel Puscoiu, 2010

Solo Pieces for the Intermediate Descant/Soprano Recorder

Costel Puscoiu. Dance of the Mirlitons (from "Nutcracker Suite" Ор.7 1) Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky 8 Moderato assai ° . _ . (1840 -1893) 2 giocoso f\ 9 >~Ífäf Cresc. poco а poco Cresc. poco а роса . Cresc. molto >fì' dim. poco а poco , dim, molto ...

Costel Puscoiu, 2010

ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA

Of PLAIN DESCANT. The second manner of composing it when the succession of concords is by notes of different lengths in the several parts. It differs from counterpoint, not in the principles of harmony, but only in the form. The effect of ...

Design Study of DESCANT: DEuterated SCintillator Array for ...

The fully close-packed array consists of 70 pseudo-hexaconical neutron detector units 150 mm high. DESCANT subtends an angle of theta = 65.5° and covers 92.6% of this solid angle or 1.08pi sr.

University of Guelph. Department of Physics, James Wong, University of Guelph. School of Graduate Studies, 2008

Abracadabra Recorder - Graded Repertoire for Descant Recorder

Roger Bush. 12 Dance away traditional French dance-song light, staccato I descant recorder tuned percussion E IS Lost time adapted from the traditional Breton descant recorder.

Roger Bush, 2013

From Descant to Treble

"...this work is likely to become a standard work very quickly and is to be recommended to all schools where recorder studies are undertaken" - Oliver James,Contact Magazine A novel and comprehensive approach to transferring from the C to F ...

‎1987

A descant on the universal plan, or, Universal salvation

John Peck. 0 , A DESCANT 01* THE UNIVERSAL PX.AK, ILLUSTRATED, BY JOHN PECK WITH PRINTED FOR THE PUBLISHER. LOWELL, MASS. 1 837. HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY FROH THE HEIRS OF GEORGE C. OEMPSEY.

John Peck, 1837

Second Book Descant / Soprano Recorder Solos:

Contents: Song (Rosseter) Prelude I and Prelude II (Bach) * Andante (Handel) * Passepied (Telemann) * Pastourelle (Telemann) * Flauto Pastorale (Telemann) * Niaise (Telemann) * Gavotte and Minuet (Barsanti) * Madge on the Tree or Margery ...

Walter Bergmann, 1998

A poetical descant on the primeval and present state of ...

of the United States of America, A. D. 1&16 Joseph Thomas of the s; id District, liath d<^-e '♢, □,? in this office the Title of a Book, the right whereof 1 . claims as Author in the words following to Wi : " A Poetical Descant on the Primeval and ...

Joseph Thomas, 1816

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «DESCANT»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term descant is used in the context of the following news items.

Preservationists want Palm Springs to give Coffman due

Skip Descant is The Desert Sun's tourism reporter. He can be reached at [e-mail] and on Twitter @TDSskip. «The Desert Sun, Jul 15»

Milestones 7-5: Births, Anniversaries

DESCANT: To Derrick Descant and Lakin Dunlap of Effie, a daughter, Dakota Rayne Descant, 7 lbs. 1.5 oz. FISHER: To Kenny Fisher and ... «Alexandria Town Talk, Jul 15»

Palm Springs airport raises parking rates by $1

Skip Descant is The Desert Sun's tourism reporter. He can be reached at [e-mail] and on Twitter @TDSskip. Southern ... «The Desert Sun, Jul 15»

Fourth of July weekend a burst for valley tourism

Skip Descant is The Desert Sun's tourism reporter. He can be reached at [e-mail] and on Twitter @TDSskip. A sampling ... «The Desert Sun, Jul 15»

Palm Springs airport ranks 2nd for paid TSA claims

Skip Descant is The Desert Sun's tourism reporter. He can be reached at [e-mail] or on Twitter @TDSskip. Claims filed ... «The Desert Sun, Jul 15»

Hotel occupancy flat in May as PS airport traffic dipped

Skip Descant is The Desert Sun's tourism reporter. He can be reached at [e-mail] and on Twitter @TDSskip. May 2015 ... «The Desert Sun, Jun 15»

AROUND TOWN: Big prize for playful sculpture

... Jarod Charzewski, Jacob Novinger, Steven Durow, Jimmy Descant, Yul Jorgensen, Keith Roberts, David Mernitz, James Burns and William ... «Colorado Springs Gazette, Jun 15»

AROUND TOWN: O'Meallie's alley macaws tops in 2015 downtown …

... Jarod Charzewski, Jacob Novinger, Steven Durow, Jimmy Descant, Yul Jorgensen, Keith Roberts, David Mernitz, James Burns and William ... «Colorado Springs Gazette, Jun 15»

South, North regional library buildings need exterior work

M.D. Descant of Bunkie was the contractor, he said. Dwight Descant said the company was not notified of any problems during the 5-year ... «The Daily Advertiser, Jun 15»

Grand Canyon, an easy summer weekend getaway

Skip Descant is The Desert Sun's tourism reporter. He can be reached at [e-mail] and on Twitter @TDSskip. «The Desert Sun, Jun 15»