a shorthand method of indicating a thorough-bass part in which each bass note is accompanied by figures indicating the intervals to be played in the chord above it in the realization
figured bass in American English
(beis)
noun
Music
a bass part in which the notes have numbers under them indicating the chords to be played
Word origin
[1795–1805]This word is first recorded in the period 1795–1805. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: baseball, kingpin, mirage, sensitivity, sharpshooter
Examples of 'figured bass' in a sentence
figured bass
He goes on to enthuse about the new generation of musicians who specialize in early music and about their skill at interpreting figured bass.