1. Plural of organum; a form of early polyphonic music in which a melody is accompanied by one or more parallel voices, typically at intervals of a fourth or fifth.
Usage: music history; medieval music

Examples

• Medieval composers developed organums as an early step toward modern harmony.
• The cathedral choir performed organums from the 12th century.
• Organums represent some of the earliest examples of polyphonic composition in Western music.
• Students of music history study organums to understand the evolution of counterpoint.