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melisma

[mi-liz-muh]

Origin

noun, plural -mas, -ma·ta

[-muh-tuh] . Music.

an ornamental phrase of several notes sung to one syllable of text, as in plainsong or blues singing.

Origin:
1605–15; < Greek mélisma song, tune. See melody, -ism

Related forms

mel·is·mat·ic

[mel-iz-mat-ik] , adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Melisma is always a great word to know.

So is eighth note. Does it mean:

note having one eighth of the time value of a whole note

major interval, chord, scale

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Collins

World English Dictionary

melisma (mɪˈlɪzmə)

—n , pl -mata, -mas
	music an expressive vocal phrase or passage consisting of several notes sung to one syllable

[C19: from Greek: melody]

melismatic

—*adj*

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

melisma

1880, from Gk. melisma "song, air, melody." Related: Melismatic.

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vocalise

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melisma

me·lis·ma