neume, neum Mus.
(njuːm)
Also 5 newme, nevme.
[a. F. neume (14th c.), ad. med.L. neuma, neupma (neut. and fem.), neuma, ad. Gr. πνεῦµα breath: see pneum, pneuma.]
1. In plainsong, a prolonged phrase or group of notes sung to a single syllable, esp. at the end of a melody.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 354/1 Newme of a songe [H. nevme], neupma. 1879 Helmore Plainsong i. 3 Neumes, i.e. certain rhythmical expansions of the melodies, occur on the stronger accents of the poetry. 1884 Catholic Dict. (1897) 720/1 Sometimes these neumes or breathings are hung to the last syllable. Ibid. 721/2 The descending series of short notes, called passing notes, which bind together the different limbs of the prolonged breathings or neumes. |
2. One of a set of signs employed in the earliest plainsong notation to indicate the melody.
| 1843–5 Westwood Palæogr. Sacra s.v. Lombardic MSS., Here the simple neume consists of short oblong dash; but sometimes it is merely a round dot. 1874 Chappell Hist. Mus. I. 382 Neumes did not originally designate any definite notes or pitch, because musical intervals were not required in recitation. 1897 Dublin Rev. Oct. 334 From the eighth to the eleventh centuries the chant was noted by means of certain signs called neums. Ibid. 339 The chant is written in neum-accents. |
Hence ˈneumic a., neumatic. (Cent. Dict. 1890.)