ground bass

noun

: a short bass passage continually repeated below constantly changing melody and harmony

Examples of ground bass in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Something else, far below the hum of daily pique, resounds through this massive book—a ground bass of doom and dejection. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1696, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ground bass was in 1696

Dictionary Entries Near ground bass

Cite this Entry

“Ground bass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ground%20bass. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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