descant

UK: /ˈdɛskænt/ US: (n., adj. des′kant; v. des kant′, dis-)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

des•cant  (n., adj. des′kant;v. des kant′, dis-), n. 

1. Music and Dance
   • a melody or counterpoint accompanying a simple musical theme and usually written above it.
   • (in part music) the soprano.
   • a song or melody.
2. a variation upon anything;
   comment on a subject.

adj. 

3. British Terms, Music and Dance [Music, Chiefly Brit.]
   • soprano:
     a descant recorder.
   • treble:
     a descant viol.

v.i. 

4. Music and Dance to sing.
5. to comment or discourse at great length.

Also, discant. 

• Medieval Latin discanthus, equivalent. to Latin dis- dis-¹ + cantus song; see chant
• Anglo-French
• Middle English discant, descaunt 1350–1400

des•cant′er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

descant noun / ˈdɛskænt ˈdɪs-/

1. Also: discant a decorative counterpoint added above a basic melody
2. a comment, criticism, or discourse

adjective / ˈdɛskænt ˈdɪs-/

1. Also: discant of or pertaining to the highest member in common use of a family of musical instruments: a descant recorder

verb / dɛsˈkænt dɪs-/(intransitive)

1. Also: discant
   often followed by on or upon: to compose or perform a descant (for a piece of music)
2. often followed by on or upon: to discourse at length or make varied comments

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old Northern French, from Medieval Latin discantus, from Latin dis-¹ + cantus song; see chant

desˈcanter noun