Main Entry:

me·lis·ma

Pronunciation:

\mi-ˈliz-mə\

Function:

noun

Inflected Form(s):

plural me·lis·ma·ta \-mə-tə\

Etymology:

New Latin, from Greek, song, melody, from melizein to sing, from melos song

Date:

circa 1880

1 : a group of notes or tones sung on one syllable in plainsong 2 : melodic embellishment 3 : cadenza

— mel·is·mat·ic \ˌme-ləz-ˈma-tik\ adjective