a melodic ornament consisting of the rapid alternation of a note with a note one degree lower than it
Also called: lower mordent
Word origin
C19: from German, from Italian mordente, from mordere to bite
mordent in American English
(ˈmɔrdənt)
noun
Music
an ornament made by a single rapid alternation of a principal tone with a subsidiary tone a half step or whole step below: in a double mordent there are two alternations: in an inverted mordent the subsidiary tone is a half step or whole step above the principal tone
Word origin
Ger < It mordente, prp. of mordere < L, to bite: see mordant