mensuralist

noun

men·​su·​ral·​ist

-ə̇st

plural mensuralists

1

archaic : a composer of mensural music

2

: a person who believes that medieval plainsong notation indicates a variety of different note values

—often used before another noun

mensuralist notation

Word History

First Known Use

1901, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!