descant

noun

1. Music.
   1. a melody or counterpoint accompanying a simple musical theme and usually written above it.
   2. (in part music) the soprano.
   3. a song or melody.
2. a variation upon anything; comment on a subject.

adjective

3. Music (chiefly British ).
   1. soprano: a descant recorder.
   2. treble: a descant viol.

verb (used without object)

4. Music. to sing.
5. to comment or discourse at great length.

noun (ˈdɛskænt, ˈdɪs-)

1. Also: discant a decorative counterpoint added above a basic melody
2. a comment, criticism, or discourse

adjective (ˈdɛskænt, ˈdɪs-)

3. Also: discant of or pertaining to the highest member in common use of a family of musical instrumentsa descant recorder

verb (dɛsˈkænt, dɪs-) (intr)

4. Also: discant (often foll by on or upon) to compose or perform a descant (for a piece of music)
5. (often foll by on or upon) to discourse at length or make varied comments

n.

late 14c., from Old North French descant (Old French deschant), from Medieval Latin discantus “refrain, part-song,” from Latin dis- “asunder, apart” (see dis-) + cantus “song” (see chant). Spelling was partly Latinized 16c. Originally “counterpoint.”

v.

mid-15c.; see descant (n.). Sense of “to comment at length” is first attested 1640s.