coun|ter|point

coun|ter|point
coun|ter|point1 «KOWN tuhr POYNT», noun, verb.
–n.
1. a melody added to another as an accompaniment.
2. the art of adding melodies to a given melody according to fixed rules.
3. the style of musical composition resulting from the way in which more or less individual melodies are combined according to fixed rules.
4. = polyphony. (Cf. ↑polyphony)
5. a style of literary or dramatic composition which uses a number of themes running counter to one another, usually at different levels and from shifting points of view.
6. Figurative. any offsetting point or element; contrast: »

Their white robes…were a counterpoint to the predominant black of diplomats (New York Times).

–v.t.
to stress by the use of counterpoint or contrasts.
╂[< Middle French contrepoint]
coun|ter|point2 «KOWN tuhr POYNT», noun.
Obsolete. a coverlet for a bed; a counterpane.
╂[< Old French contrepointe, earlier cuiltepointe a quilt stitched through < Latin culcita puncta]

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • coun|ter|clock|wise — «KOWN tuhr KLOK WYZ», adverb, adjective. in the direction opposite to that which the hands of a clock go: »They danced counterclockwise around the maypole (adv.). The dance involved a counterclockwise movement around a central point (adj.) …   Useful english dictionary

  • coun|ter|glow — «KOWN tuhr GLOH», noun. Astronomy. a patch of extremely faint light seen in the heavens near the apparent path of the sun (ecliptic) at a point exactly opposite to the sun; Gegenschein …   Useful english dictionary

  • ter — ter; ter·a·con·ic; ter·a·cryl·ic; ter·a·glin; ter·aph; ter·as; ter·a·tism; ter·a·to·genesis; ter·a·to·gen·ic; ter·a·to·log·i·cal; ter·a·tol·o·gist; ter·a·tol·o·gy; ter·a·to·ma; ter·a·to·sis; ter·bi·um; ter·centennial; ter·centesimal; ter·ce·ron;… …   English syllables

  • coun — ac·coun·tan·cy; back·coun·try; coun; coun·cil·lor; coun·cil·lor·ship; coun·cil·man; coun·cil·man·ic; coun·sel·able; coun·sel·ee; coun·sel·or; coun·te·nanc·er; coun·ter·act; coun·ter·ac·tant; coun·ter·act·ing·ly; coun·ter·action; coun·ter·agent;… …   English syllables

  • point — ap·point; ap·point·ive; ap·point·ment; arrow·point; dis·ap·point; dis·ap·point·ment; em·bon·point; in·ter·point; mis·point; point; point·ed·ly; point·ful; point·less; point·let; tri·point·ed; mul·ti·point; non·point; coun·ter·point; point·ed;… …   English syllables

  • counterpoint — coun·ter·point …   English syllables

  • counterpoint — coun|ter|point1 [ kauntər,pɔınt ] noun 1. ) uncount two or more tunes that are played together to sound like one tune 2. ) count something that produces a different effect from something else, especially in an interesting or attractive way… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • counterpoint — coun|ter|point [ˈkauntəpɔınt US ər ] n [Date: 1400 1500; : French; Origin: contrepoint, from Medieval Latin contrapunctus, from contra ( CONTRA ) + punctus musical note, tune ] 1.) [U] the combination of two or more tunes played together so that… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • counterpoint — coun•ter•point [[t]ˈkaʊn tərˌpɔɪnt[/t]] n. 1) mad polyphony 1) 2) mad the texture resulting from the combining of individual melodic lines 3) mad a melody composed to be combined with another melody 4) any element that is juxtaposed and… …   From formal English to slang

  • Counterpoint — Coun ter*point (koun t?r point ), n. [Counter + point.] An opposite point [Obs.] Sir E. Sandys. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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