ricercar

noun

ri·​cer·​car ˌrē-(ˌ)chər-ˈkär 

variants or ricercare

ˌrē-(ˌ)chər-ˈkä-(ˌ)rā 

plural ricercars or ricercari ˌrē-(ˌ)chər-ˈkä-(ˌ)rē 

: any of various usually keyboard musical forms especially of the 16th and 17th centuries in either quasi-improvisatory toccata style or strict polyphonic fugal style

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from ricercare to seek again, seek out, from ri- re- (from Latin re-) + cercare to seek, from Late Latin circare to go about — more at search

First Known Use

1773, in the meaning defined above