countermelody

[ koun-ter-mel-uh-dee ]

noun

, plural coun·ter·mel·o·dies.

1. a melody heard, played, or sung simultaneously with another melody as an integral part of the composition.

Word History and Origins

Origin of countermelody¹

First recorded in 1930–35; counter- + melody

Example Sentences

Music that is mostly homophonic can become temporarily polyphonic if an independent countermelody is added.

From Literature

This is a countermelody, sometimes called a descant part.

From Literature

Above all there is that singular, inborn mix of the rough and the sweet, a softness to his voice, his eyes, that from “Something Wild” on has provided a sort of complicating countermelody to the darker aspects of his less savory roles.

From Los Angeles Times

“We need to add a countermelody to accent the sample.”

From Literature

That countermelody — not entirely unaffiliated with his interview skills — is why Suzanne Joe Kai’s documentary “Like a Rolling Stone: The Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres” is occasionally more than the usual admiring portrait.

From Los Angeles Times