1. A melody or song, especially one sung above a basic melody or bass line in medieval and Renaissance music.
Usage: music, historical
2. A discourse or discussion on a topic.
Usage: archaic

1. To sing or perform a discant; to sing in parts.
Usage: music, historical
2. To discourse or comment at length on a subject.
Usage: archaic

Examples

• The choir performed a beautiful discant over the plainchant melody.
• Medieval composers often wrote discants to accompany sacred chants.
• She began to discant on the virtues of classical education.
• The soprano's discant soared above the lower voices in the polyphonic composition.
• He would discant at great length about his favorite historical period.
• The discant part requires a skilled vocalist with a strong upper range.