descant Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a decorative musical accompaniment (often improvised) added above a basic melody
    discant.
  2. verb sing in descant
  3. verb sing by changing register; sing by yodeling
    yodel; warble.
    • The Austrians were yodeling in the mountains
  4. verb talk at great length about something of one's interest

WordNet

Des"cant noun
Etymology
OF. descant, deschant, F. déchant, discant, LL. discantus, fr. L. dis + cantus singing, melody, fr. canere to sing. See Chant, and cf. Descant, v. i., Discant.
Definitions
  1. (Mus.) (a) Originally, a double song; a melody or counterpoint sung above the plain song of the tenor; a variation of an air; a variation by ornament of the main subject or plain song. (b) The upper voice in part music. (c) The canto, cantus, or soprano voice; the treble. Grove.
    Twenty doctors expound one text twenty ways, as children make descant upon plain song. Tyndale.
    She [the nightingale] all night long her amorous descant sung. Milton.
    ✍ The term has also been used synonymously with counterpoint, or polyphony, which developed out of the French déchant, of the 12th century.
  2. A discourse formed on its theme, like variations on a musical air; a comment or comments.
    Upon that simplest of themes how magnificent a descant! De Quincey.
Des*cant" intransitive verb
Etymology
From descant; n.; or directly fr. OF. descanter, deschanter; L. dis- + cantare to sing.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Descanted; present participle & verbal noun Descanting
Definitions
  1. To sing a variation or accomplishment.
  2. To comment freely; to discourse with fullness and particularity; to discourse at large.
    A virtuous man should be pleased to find people descanting on his actions. Addison.

Webster 1913