neume

English

A folio of the Cantigas de Santa Maria, containing lyrics and neumes.

Alternative forms

• neum
• pneume (archaic)

Etymology

From 15th c. Middle English newme, nevme, neme; from Middle French neume, in turn from Medieval Latin neuma or pneuma, either from Ancient Greek νεῦμα (neûma, “sign”), or else a corruption of πνεῦμα (pneûma, “breath”). In the latter case a doublet of pneuma.

Pronunciation

• (RP) IPA^(key): /njuːm/
• (US) IPA^(key): /n(j)um/
• Rhymes: -uːm

Noun

neume (plural neumes)

1. (music) Any of a set of signs used in early musical notation.
2. (music) A sequence of notes to be sung to one syllable.

Translations

sign used in early musical notation

• Finnish: neumi (fi)
• French: neume (fr) m
• German: Neume (de) f
• Hungarian: neuma (hu)
• Italian: neuma (it) f
• Polish: neuma (pl)
• Portuguese: neuma m
• Russian: не́вма (ru) f (névma)
• Serbo-Croatian: nèuma (sh) f, нѐума f
• Spanish: neuma m

Italian

Noun

neume f

1. plural of neuma