Definition

A symbol used in musical notation, especially in the context of medieval music, to represent a pitch or a group of pitches in chants.

Example

The choir practiced the Gregorian chant using neumes to guide their singing.

Conversation

I was reading about medieval music, and I came across the term neume.

Oh, I've heard of that! It's related to Gregorian chant, right?

Exactly! It's fascinating how they used neumes for musical notation back then.

Yeah, it really shows how music evolved over the centuries.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Neume originates from the Greek word "neuma" (νῆμα), meaning a sign or gesture. In the context of music, it refers to a notation used in medieval music to indicate pitch and rhythm.

Memory Tip

Think of 'neuma' as a 'sign' or 'gesture' in music, which helps you remember that a neume is a musical notation.

Visually Confused Words