discant
/ˈdɪskænt/
noun
- A decorative melody or counterpoint sung or played above a main melody, especially in early music.
- In medieval music, the discant often featured faster notes than the main tune.
- The composer wrote a soaring discant for the soprano section.
- The choir added a beautiful discant to the familiar hymn.
verb
- To sing or play a decorative melody above a main tune; to descant.
- The flutist began to discant over the simple piano melody.
- In the cathedral, the boys' choir would discant during the service.
- She learned to discant on traditional folk songs.