organum

[ awr-guh-nuhm ]
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noun,plural or·ga·na [awr-guh-nuh], /ˈɔr gə nə/, or·ga·nums.
  1. an organon.

  2. Music.

    • the doubling, or simultaneous singing, of a melody at an interval of either a fourth, a fifth, or an octave.

    • the second part in such singing.

Origin of organum

1
From Latin, dating back to 1605–15; see origin at organ

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British Dictionary definitions for organum

organum

/ (ˈɔːɡənəm) /


nounplural -na (-nə) or -nums
  1. a form of polyphonic music originating in the ninth century, consisting of a plainsong melody with parts added at the fourth and fifth

  2. a variant of organon

Origin of organum

1
C17: via Latin from Greek; see organ

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012