melismatic

American  

[mel-iz-mat-ik] / ˌmɛl ɪzˈmæt ɪk /

adjective

1. Music. in a musical style that allows several notes to be sung to one syllable of text.

   The work’s dotted rhythms, soaring melismatic passages, suspensions, and changes of time signature make it the most widely sung of Purcell's choral compositions.

   The title song is a melismatic rock anthem that's a Top Forty–quality enduring earworm.

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Etymology

Origin of melismatic

First recorded in 1815–25; from Greek mélismat-, stem of mélisma, “song, tune” ( melisma ( def. ) ) + -ic ( def. )