counterpoint

counterpoint
    n 1: a musical form involving the simultaneous sound of two or
         more melodies
    v 1: to show differences when compared; be different; "the
         students contrast considerably in their artistic abilities"
         [syn: {contrast}, {counterpoint}]
    2: write in counterpoint; "Bach perfected the art of
       counterpointing"
    

Counterpoint \Coun"ter*point`\, n. [OF. contrepoincte,
   corruption of earlier counstepointe, countepointe, F.
   courtepointe, fr. L. culcita cushion, mattress (see {Quilt},
   and cf. {Cushion}) + puncta, fem. p. p. of pungere to prick
   (see {Point}). The word properly meant a stitched quilt, with
   the colors broken one into another.]
   A coverlet; a cover for a bed, often stitched or broken into
   squares; a counterpane. See 1st {Counterpane}.
   [1913 Webster]

         Embroidered coverlets or counterpoints of purple silk.
                                                  --Sir T.
                                                  North.
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Counterpoint \Coun"ter*point`\ (koun"t?r-point`), n. [Counter- +
   point.]
   An opposite point [Obs.] --Sir E. Sandys.
   [1913 Webster]
    

Counterpoint \Coun"ter*point`\, n. [F. contrepoint; cf. It.
   contrappunto. Cf. {Contrapuntal}.] (Mus.)
   (a) The setting of note against note in harmony; the adding
       of one or more parts to a given {canto fermo} or melody.
   (b) The art of polyphony, or composite melody, i. e., melody
       not single, but moving attended by one or more related
       melodies.
   (c) Music in parts; part writing; harmony; polyphonic music.
       See {Polyphony}.
       [1913 Webster]

             Counterpoint, an invention equivalent to a new
             creation of music.                   --Whewell.
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108 Moby Thesaurus words for "counterpoint":
      Alexandrine, Ambrosian chant, accent, accentuation, amphibrach,
      amphimacer, anacrusis, anapest, antipode, antipodes, antipole,
      antispast, antithesis, antonym, arsis, bacchius, beat, cadence,
      caesura, catalexis, chloriamb, chloriambus, colon, contra,
      contrapunto, converse, counter, counterbalance, countercheck,
      counterpoise, counterpole, counterterm, cretic, dactyl,
      dactylic hexameter, diaeresis, dimeter, dipody, dochmiac, elegiac,
      elegiac couplet, elegiac pentameter, emphasis, epitrite,
      false music, faux-bourdon, feminine caesura, foil, foot,
      heptameter, heptapody, heroic couplet, hexameter, hexapody, iamb,
      iambic, iambic pentameter, ictus, inverse, ionic, jingle, lilt,
      masculine caesura, measure, meter, metrical accent, metrical foot,
      metrical group, metrical unit, metron, molossus, mora, movement,
      musica ficta, numbers, obverse, offset, opposite, opposite number,
      paeon, pentameter, pentapody, period, polyphonism, polyphony,
      proceleusmatic, pyrrhic, quantity, reverse, rhythm, setoff,
      spondee, sprung rhythm, stress, swing, syzygy, tetrameter,
      tetrapody, tetraseme, the contrary, the other side, thesis,
      tribrach, trimeter, tripody, triseme, trochee, vis-a-vis