descanter
(dɪˈskæntə(r))
[f. prec. + -er1.]
1. One who sings or plays the ‘descant’. Obs. exc. Hist.
1538 Starkey England i. iii. 80 Curyouse descanterys and deuysarys of new songys. 1597 Morley Introd. Mus. 70 A Descanter..[is] one that can extempore sing a part upon a playne song. 1879 Parry in Grove Dict. Mus. I. 671 De Muris..speaks with great bitterness of extempore descanters. |
2. One who holds forth or discourses.
1805 Foster Ess. iv. iv. 180 A descanter on the invisible world who makes you think of a popish cathedral. |