melismatic

[ mel-iz-mat-ik ]

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of melismatic¹

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

Example Sentences

The lord of vibrato’s melismatic flourishes flickered like comet trails across an anthemic “Jeremy,” one of the darkest hits in modern rock history, which blew up in a joyful supernova on Thursday.

From Seattle Times

And while her songs can provide an exhilarating challenge with octave drops, melismatic melodies and word density, they are forgiving as long as you commit to the earnestness or the screaming.

From Los Angeles Times

“The higher notes in the chorus coupled with the melismatic melody makes this one deceptively hard,” Glass said.

From Los Angeles Times

This is a cathartic karaoke song that provides a challenge because of its melismatic melodies — when multiple notes are sung within one word, a trademark of Swift’s songwriting — and its speedy verses.

From Los Angeles Times

“The higher notes in the chorus coupled with the melismatic melody makes this one deceptively hard,” Glass said.

From Los Angeles Times