polyphony
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The polyphony central to Ives’s music prevented its wide embrace during his lifetime, and even today—when his genius is fully recognized—the dissonance in his scores remains an impediment for many music lovers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
It’s jazz at an early stage: this is still the era of everyone-at-once polyphony.
From New York Times ● Jun. 7, 2023
The children have their own afflictions, as does the husband-to-be, all shared in a polyphony of severed tongues.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2023
Later, polyphony became increasingly common – when two, three or four voices would each sing different melodies, adding to the complexity of the sound.
From Salon ● Oct. 22, 2022
So in fourteenth-century polyphony, the perfect fifth, the perfect fourth and the octave comprised the vast majority of note combinations, or chords, on offer.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
Vocabulary lists containing polyphony
Common Senses: Phon ("Sound")
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Music - Middle School
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Music - High School
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