fauxbourdon

American  

[foh-ber-don, foh-boor-dawn] / ˈfoʊ bərˌdɒn, foʊ burˈdɔ̃ /

noun

1. Music.  a 15th-century compositional technique employing three voices, the upper and lower voices progressing an octave or a sixth apart while the middle voice extemporaneously doubles the upper part at a fourth below.

2. the use of progressions of parallel sixth chords.

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Etymology

Origin of fauxbourdon

1875–80; < French: literally, false bourdon