fauxbourdon

noun

faux·​bour·​don
ˈfōbə(r)ˌdän
plural -s
1
: harmonic progressions of the 15th century characterized by parallel fourths in the two upper voices and based chiefly on parallel sixth chords
2
: a sacred homophonic choral composition

Word History

Etymology

French faux-bourdon, from Middle French, from faux false (from Latin falsus) + bourdon bass horn

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Cite this Entry

“Fauxbourdon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fauxbourdon. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

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