Polyphonic

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Polyphonic \Pol`y*phon"ic\, a. [Gr. ?; poly`s many + ? sound:
     cf. F. polyphone.]
     1. Having a multiplicity of sounds.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Characterized by polyphony; as, Assyrian polyphonic


        characters.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Mus.) Consisting of several tone series, or melodic
        parts, progressing simultaneously according to the laws of
        counterpoint; contrapuntal; as, a polyphonic composition;
        -- opposed to {homophonic}, or {monodic}.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  polyphonic
       adj 1: having two or more phonetic values; "polyphonic letters such
              as `a'"
       2: of or relating to or characterized by polyphony; "polyphonic
          traditions of the baroque" [syn: {polyphonous}]
       3: having two or more independent but harmonically related
          melodic parts sounding together [syn: {contrapuntal}]
          [ant: {monophonic}]