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ENGLISH · A WORD WITH POSSIBILITIES

counterpoint.

A melody added to an existing one, especially one added to provide harmony whilst each retains its simultaneous identity; a composition consisting of such contrapuntal melodies.

12 characters3 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

noun/ˈkaʊntə(ɹ)ˌpɔɪnt/
  1. A melody added to an existing one, especially one added to provide harmony whilst each retains its simultaneous identity; a composition consisting of such contrapuntal melodies.

    countable · uncountable
  2. Any similar contrasting element in a work of art.

    countable · uncountable
  3. An opposite point.

    countable · uncountable
Where this word comes from

Inherited from Middle English [Term?], from Middle French contrepoint, from Medieval Latin contrāpūnctum. Equivalent to counter- + point.

verb/ˈkaʊntə(ɹ)ˌpɔɪnt/
  1. To compose or arrange such music.

    transitive
  2. To serve as an opposing point against.

    transitive
Where this word comes from

Inherited from Middle English [Term?], from Middle French contrepoint, from Medieval Latin contrāpūnctum. Equivalent to counter- + point.

noun/ˈkaʊntə(ɹ)ˌpɔɪnt/
  1. Obsolete form of counterpane.

    alt-of · obsolete
Where this word comes from

From Old French contrepointe, a corruption of coultepointe, from Latin culcita puncta, i.e. a stitched pillow or cover. See quilt.

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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.

Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.