This page gathers the 3,073 dictionary entries belonging to the domain “Entertainment”, as labelled by Wiktionary. Each word leads to its full entry: definitions, etymology, pronunciation, examples. Page 21 of 31: from “polyphonist” to “qanun”.
- polyphonist noun A musician skilled at of polyphony
- polyphony noun Musical texture consisting of several independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice (monophony) or music with one…
- polyrhythm noun Music with multiple rhythmic elements played simultaneously.
- polytonality noun The use of multiple keys in the same composition, especially by multiple instruments at the same time
- polyvalence noun A quality of music that is played in more than one harmonic function in the same key.
- pomposo adj Ceremonious and dignified.
- pong verb To deliver a line of a play in an arch, suggestive or unnatural way, so as to draw undue attention to it.
- Poochie-fication noun The process of adding a new character to a work of fiction, or altering characters already present, in a bid to make the work cooler or…
- pop noun The pulling of a string away from the fretboard and releasing it so that it snaps back.
- pop metal noun A variation of heavy metal which features prominent pop music elements such as catchy hooks and anthemic choruses.
- pop rock noun A musical genre combining elements of pop music and rock music.
- pop song noun A type of song from the genre of music derived from rock and roll music of the 1950s characterized by a short, catchy tune and the frequent…
- popera noun A crossover genre combining elements of pop music and classical opera.
- poppy adj Typical of, or in the style of, pop music.
- popular music noun Any genre of music that has wide appeal amongst the general public of a society, typically distributed widely by the music industry…
- portamento noun A smooth, gliding transition from one note to another; used especially with stringed instruments, and sometimes on brass.
- portative organ noun A small pipe organ with one rank of flue pipes, sometimes arranged in two rows, to be played while strapped to the performer at a right…
- portato adv In an unconnected manner, as opposed to legato, but not as short as staccato.
- Portuguese guitar noun A plucked guitar with a pear-shaped body and round soundholes, with twelve strings in six double courses, associated most prominently with…
- positive organ noun A small pipe organ designed for portability, common in sacred and secular music between the 10th and 18th centuries.
- post horn noun A valveless musical instrument based on such a horn, used in orchestral music.
- post-disco noun A genre of dance music formulated in the late 1970s, after a backlash against disco.
- post-punk noun A rock music genre that followed punk rock and was more artistic and experimental, laying the foundations for alternative rock.
- post-rock noun A genre of music which uses rock instrumentation for songs with gradually unfolding structures that depend more on ambience and timbre than…
- postindustrial adj Of or relating to a genre of music derived from industrial music but with electronic and rock influences.
- postlude noun The final part of a piece; especially music played (normally on the organ) at the end of a church service.
- potpourri noun A medley of songs or music.
- power chord noun A chord or combination of notes used in rock music and typically selected to sound good at high volume and high levels of distortion. Power…
- power electronics noun A subgenre of industrial music with low-end drones, harsh loops, and screamed or distorted vocals.
- power metal noun A subgenre of heavy metal music, often featuring fast tempos, melodic guitar work, soaring vocals, dramatic choruses, and lyrics inspired…
- power pop noun A genre of popular music inspired by 1960s British and American pop and rock music, with strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical…
- power trio noun A rock-and-roll band lineup consisting of electric guitar, bass guitar, and drum kit, omitting the rhythm guitar and keyboard instrument…
- practical noun A prop that has some degree of functionality, rather than being a mere imitation.
- praiser noun A publicist.
- pralltriller noun A melodic embellishment consisting of the quick alternation of a principal tone with an auxiliary tone above it, usually the next in the…
- praxis noun The deliberate action of a rational being.
- pre-hook adj Before the hook (normally a chorus) of a popular song.
- preaching band noun A Christian band.
- preclassical adj Of or relating to the period following the baroque.
- precomposition noun Decisions made regarding a piece of music before composition begins, such as which key or which genre to use.
- predominant noun A subdominant.
- prelude noun A short, free-form piece of music, originally one serving as an introduction to a longer and more complex piece; later, starting with the…
- preparation noun Any of the objects placed between the strings of a prepared piano.
- prepared piano noun A piano that has had its sound altered by placing objects (called preparations) on or between the strings.
- presa noun A symbol, such as ※ or :S:, used to indicate where a voice is to begin singing in a canon or round.
- preside verb To be a featured solo performer.
- prestissimo adj Extremely fast, the fastest possible tempo.
- presto adv Very fast or quickly; a directive for the musician(s) to play in a very quick tempo.
- prime noun The first note or tone of a musical scale.
- primo noun The principal part of a duet.
- principal noun A type of stop on a pipe organ consisting of flue pipes with a bright tonal quality. They are also sometimes referred to as a diapason.
- probationer noun A chorister in their training period before full admission to a choir, whether or not that period is probationary.
- probe noun An anal probe, a fictional instrument commonly used by aliens on abducted humans.
- problem play noun A form of drama that emerged in the 19th century as part of realism, dealing with contentious social issues through debates between the…
- produce verb To alter using technology, as opposed to simply performing.
- prog noun Progressive rock.
- program noun A custom tracklist.
- program music noun A form of art music, generally without vocal parts, that attempts to convey a scene, image, or mood.
- programmatic adj Of or relating to program music.
- programmatism noun The style of program music.
- programmist noun A composer of program music.
- progression noun A chord progression.
- progressive bluegrass noun A genre of bluegrass that subverts tradition by adding drums, electric guitar and other modern elements of popular music.
- progressive rock noun A rock music genre originating from the late 1960s and early 1970s, heavily influenced by classical music and jazz.
- prolation noun The relative time value of a minim to a semibreve in medieval music.
- prolongational reduction noun The pattern, as perceived, of tension and relaxation among events in various levels of structure, projected from time-span reduction.
- promenader noun An attender at, or devotee of, promenade concerts.
- promotional copy noun An audio or video recording distributed free of charge, usually in order to promote a recording that will soon be commercially available.
- prompt noun A word, phrase or line supplied by a prompter to an actor who has forgotten the script.
- prompter noun The person who does the prompting.
- prop noun An item placed on a stage or set to create a scene or scenario in which actors perform.
- property noun A prop, an object used in a dramatic production.
- proppy adj Having many props.
- prosodiac noun A verse used in prosodia, having three anapests, of which the first may be substituted with a spondee or iamb.
- prospect noun The façade of an organ.
- psalm noun A sacred song; a poetical composition for use in the praise or worship of God.
- psalmodicon noun A simple zither-like single-stringed chordophone (stringed instrument), played with a bow, of Scandinavian origin.
- psalmody noun The singing or the writing of psalms.
- psaltery noun A zither-like musical instrument consisting of a soundboard with multiple strings, played by plucking the strings with the fingers or a…
- pseudo-octave noun An interval whose frequency ratio is not 2:1 (that of the octave), but is perceived or treated as equivalent to this ratio, and whose…
- psych adj Of or relating to psychedelic rock music.
- psychedelic rock noun A genre of rock music influenced by psychedelia, blues, electronic music, folk music, jazz, and the hippie counterculture of the 1960s.
- psychobilly noun A genre of popular music, blending rockabilly with punk rock, containing grotesque or humorous lyrics which often draw heavily on the…
- pub rock noun A kind of popular bluesy rock music, specifically unrelated forms of British and Australian music with a similar sound.
- pull off noun The technique, when playing a string instrument, of using a finger of the fret hand to pluck a string by pulling the finger off the…
- pulsatile adj Of a musical instrument: played by striking or beating.
- pulsatory adj Played by beating, like a gong or a drum.
- pulse noun The beat or tactus of a piece of music or verse; also, a repeated sequence of such beats.
- punctualism noun A musical style, prevalent in Europe in the mid-20th century, based around separate tones rather than overarching compositional structures.
- punctualist noun A composer in the style of punctualism.
- punctum noun A neume representing a single tone.
- punk noun Ellipsis of punk rock, a genre known for short, loud, energetic songs with electric guitars and strong drums and shocking or political…
- punk rock noun A genre of rock music associated with short, loud, energetic songs played on electric guitars and drums and employing angry, offensive…
- punkabilly noun A subgenre of psychobilly that blends rockabilly with punk rock.
- puntilla noun The small dagger for administering the coup de grâce to the bull.
- purfling noun Two or more very narrow strips of black wood enclosing a lighter-coloured strip of wood set close to the edge of the top and back of a…
- puzzle canon noun A canon in which only one voice is notated and the rules for determining the remaining parts and the time intervals of their entrances must…
- pyknon noun The lower part of a tetrachord in Ancient Greek music, consisting of a composite interval (two successive intervals) that is less than the…
- pyramidon noun An organ stop having wooden pipes in the form of an inverted pyramid, giving very deep notes somewhat like those of a stopped diapason.
- qanun noun A Near Eastern and Caucasian musical instrument related to the zither, dulcimer, or harp having either 26 strings and a single bridge, or…