mensural music

noun

variants or less commonly mensurable music

: polyphonic music principally of the 13th to 16th century written in mensural notation compare plainsong

Word History

Etymology

translation of Medieval Latin musica mensurabilis

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined above

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!