neume

English

A folio of the Cantigas de Santa Maria, containing lyrics and neumes.

Alternative forms

neum
pneume (archaic)

Etymology

From 15th c. Middle English newme, nevme, neme; from Middle French neume, in turn from Medieval Latin neuma or pneuma, either from Ancient Greek πνεῦμα (pneûma, “breath”) or νεῦμα (neûma, “sign”), or else a corruption of πνεῦμα (pneûma, “breath”). Doublet of pneuma.

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /njuːm/
(General American) IPA^(key): /n(j)um/
Rhymes: -uːm

Noun

neume (plural neumes)

(music) Any of a set of signs used in early musical notation.
(music) A sequence of notes to be sung to one syllable.

Translations

sign used in early musical notation

Finnish: neumi (fi)
French: neume (fr) m
German: Neume (de) f
Hungarian: neuma
Italian: neuma (it) f
Polish: neuma (pl)
Portuguese: neuma m
Russian: не́вма (ru) f (névma)
Serbo-Croatian: nèuma (sh) f, нѐума f
Spanish: neuma m

Italian

Noun

neume f

plural of neuma