counterpoint

English

Etymology

From counter- +‎ point, Middle French contrepoint.

Noun

Wikipedia counterpoint (plural counterpoints)

1. (music) a melody added to an existing one, especially one added to provide harmony whilst each retains its simultaneous identity; a composition consisting of such contrapuntal melodies
2. any similar contrasting element in a work of art
3. An opposite point.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Sir E. Sandys to this entry?)

Synonyms

• contrapuntal music
• polyphony

Translations

(music) a melody added to an existing one

• Esperanto: kontrapunkto (eo)
• German: Kontrapunkt (de) m
• Hungarian: ellenpont (hu), kontrapunkt (hu)
• Italian: contrappunto (it) m

• Japanese: 対位法 (ja) (たいいほう, taiihō)
• Portuguese: contraponto (pt) m
• Russian: конрапункт m

Verb

counterpoint (third-person singular simple present counterpoints, present participle counterpointing, simple past and past participle counterpointed)

1. (transitive) to compose or arrange such music

Translations

(transitive) to compose or arrange such music

• German: kontrapunktieren